The month of May is a consequential one for former President Donald Trump. In the twelve states that hold primaries that month, the former president has endorsed Republican candidates for Governor, Senate, and/or House in all but two. …
At the end of the month, most of the attention will be focused on Trump’s record of success in these intra-party contests. Much will be made about his continuing, or waning, influence on the party based on those results.
But just looking at the scorecard misses the bigger picture. These primary fights aren’t between the ‘pro-Trump’ wing versus the ‘anti-or Never-Trump’ wing of the GOP. Candidates are not debating whether the GOP should continue to associate with or make a clean break from Trumpism. GOP candidates are not debating the future identity or ideology in the post-Trump era. Instead, these primary contests have only helped to illuminate that in both style and substance, the current GOP remains Trump’s party. CONTINUED
Amy Walter, Cook Political Report with Amy Walter
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