The Post-Trump GOP?
Even if he manages to steal the next election, Trump can’t live forever, and as Alby said, it is hard to imagine how the GOP survives beyond Trump.
You can’t go from a “Crush our enemies: Nothing is illegal for the winner” strategy back to a “The other side has rights too: The rules matter” strategy. That dial only turns in one direction.
But here is another view. Writing at The Federalist, some guy thinks the glorious future includes faith-based populist conservatism, and looks like Josh Hawley and Rick Scott.
Eventually, in 2021 or 2025, Trump will exit the stage and the curtain will rise on the next chapter of the GOP. To the chagrin of Washington’s cocktail class, it will not resemble the pre-Trump party that proved no match for the rising cosmopolitan and oligopolistic tides of Obama-ism. That party flamed out with Jeb Bush’s presidential campaign.
The post-Trump GOP will not preach laissez-faire economics then benignly accept distorted D.C. deal-making. This next-generation populism will be shaped by its paradigm-disrupting defenses of the aspirational, and faithful, individual—whether those defenses rankle power centers in government or Manhattan C-suites.
Professional Republicans have been wondering what our world will look like after Donald Trump. In Hawley and Scott, we can get a glimpse
Nothing changes post Trump, a scorched earth mentality is a perfect fit for the Republicans as they have long considered the rest of us the enemy. Look at Jim Jordan, Matt Gaetz and assorted other snarling nasties in the house for your answer, would not be surprised to see them look back on Trump as they look back on Reagan. This is what they are.
Christianity is a criminal scam, and young people aren’t buying it. These guys will rule the dinosaur park.
I think Tom Cotton is the next Trump. The American right will start looking more like the European right.
I agree that nothing changes post Trump. The GOP may never again gain the White House, but there are plenty of opportunities to promulgate their vitriol in Congress, and state and local offices. A big fish in a small pond is still a big fish. This type of GOP will remain a challenge that must be combatted until it disappears root and stem.