Donald Trump proved for the second consecutive election that when it comes to picking between the better of two poor choices, the majority of American voters believe it’s anybody but him.
Trump was expecting this week to be taking credit for a Republican wave that swept the GOP into power solidly in the House and by a narrower margin in the Senate.
The wave didn’t materialize. Instead, as of Friday, it was still uncertain which political party would have a majority in either chamber.
What happened to the anticipated GOP rout?
There are lots of exit polls and political pundits offering their take. Voters told pollsters they were upset about inflation and the current state of American democracy, but they appeared to hold both parties responsible. The issue of abortion was a bigger factor in a post-Roe world than Republicans had anticipated. And some candidates just ran better races than others.
Nevertheless, history and circumstances were all on the GOP’s side. The party not in the White House almost always picks up a sizable number of congressional seats in the midterm elections. That’s especially so when things are going badly in the economy. Sky-high inflation, rising interest rates and slumping retirement portfolios should have been crippling to Democrats. So, too, a president who appears well past his prime.
But they weren’t. There seems to be no other explanation than that Trump was dead weight.
The right wing of the GOP may still adore the former president, but those in the center, and especially independents, can’t bear the thought of a return of Trump. His endorsement might have been strong enough to get some of his fellow election deniers through the GOP primaries, but when it came to the general election, where independents have a huge voice in the outcome, it backfired.
There is a message here for the GOP, if its members will listen. It’s time to move on beyond Trump, as his legal troubles, his divisiveness and his conceit have become a major handicap. It is telling that Democratic strategists, not Republicans, are hoping that Trump goes forward with his plan to announce his candidacy for president on Tuesday. They think with Trump officially a candidate, it will help boost Democratic turnout for a critical runoff in Georgia, which could determine control of the Senate, as it did in 2020.
The Democrats were smart enough to keep Biden at arm’s distance in those states where they knew the race would be close. Biden was humble enough to accept that he would do more harm than good on the campaign trail.
Trump’s ego won’t let him accept such a diminution. The only way he will be pushed aside is if a stronger candidate beats him soundly during the primaries. The GOP better rally around such a candidate if it hopes to prevail in two years.
