To get a sense of Trump’s power, look at the fate of Republican candidates he’s actively opposed. Anthony Gonzalez is retiring rather than face a challenger he couldn’t beat. Liz Cheney is in a world of trouble. Ditto Nancy Mace. Maybe Lisa Murkowski will be able to hold on because of the oddities of Alaska’s voting laws. (But maybe not.)
Brian Kemp may be the exception who proves the rule. He has all the advantages of incumbency, and Trump still went all-in with his attempt to unseat him in a primary. So far, it hasn’t paid off. But the rule of thumb seems to be that Republican candidates can only survive Trump endorsing another candidate if they are willing to keep smiling and insisting that they love Trump, too.
What’s remarkable about Trump’s grip on the party is not only that he has maintained it despite his exit from the presidency and from (mainstream) social media—but that by some measures his standing has actually improved.
As of today, Trump’s favorable/unfavorable split is the best it’s ever been.
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