The Republican Party has undergone an improbable transformation amid the swirl of scandals and controversy engulfing its leader in the White House. While it certainly cannot be called love, the forced marriage of Donald Trump and the GOP has begun its second year in a state of positive equilibrium — a mutual, if sometimes begrudging, admiration. …
Polls show Trump’s favorability ratings at an all-time high among voters in his own party — with one early February Gallup poll citing numbers as high as 90 percent and one from CNN showing Trump with higher favorable ratings than Vice President Mike Pence or House Speaker Paul Ryan. …
For months, evidence has pointed to Democrats as the odds-on favorites to make substantial gains come November, but a growing chorus of Republicans are saying Trump’s improving numbers could stem the coming blue wave. CONT.
Astead W. Herndon, Boston Globe