It has been observed that Republican politicians aren’t really afraid of Trump; they are afraid of his supporters. When you consider that these same supporters incentivize politicians to seek out Greene’s endorsement, this assessment sadly rings true. Even if Trump disappeared from the political scene tomorrow, the larger problem to contend with is the grassroots base he inherited and helped attract.

In the past, Greene has been criticized by popular conservatives, including Ben Shapiro, Erick Erickson, and Rep. Dan Crenshaw, with Shapiro calling her comparison of COVID safety measures to the Holocaust “nutso” and “demented nonsense.” This criticism hasn’t stopped her meteoric rise. Suebsaeng and Brodey also note that Greene has raised over $7 million since joining Congress last January, “making her one of the most prolific fundraisers in the entire House.” This is now a movement where the inmates run the asylum.

It’s tempting to dismiss Greene as a fringe character who is a mere mainstream obsession. But all evidence, including her status as the most sought-after Republican endorser (next to Trump), says otherwise.