Romney is not alone in his outreach. In the early days of Trump’s transition to the White House, a stream of former Republican adversaries and skeptics has trickled through the lobby at Trump Tower in midtown Manhattan, en route to meet privately with the president-elect.
One former critic, South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley, said earlier this year that Trump’s rhetoric was “irresponsible.” This week, however, Haley gushed that Trump’s victory has left her “giddy.” Haley met with Trump on Thursday, stirring speculation that she, too, might serve in his cabinet.
The sudden about-face by some of Trump’s former GOP foes is enough to induce whiplash. Just a few weeks ago, many of the same lawmakers, strategists and party leaders were beginning to strategize how they would rebuild the party after Trump’s inevitable defeat.
Many of them opposed Trump on principle in the face of steep political risk, fearing his long-term effects on the Republican Party. But Trump instead has helped the party reach new heights of political power, securing a unified GOP government — and with it a semi-permanent place for his brand of Republicanism, complicating intraparty resistance efforts moving forward.
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