The GOP Once Trump Leaves January 25, 2019January 23, 2019 From the Huffington Post: Two Years In, The Republican Party Faces An Uncertain Future In Trump’s Image Whether by resignation, impeachment, a 2020 loss or finishing a second term, Donald Trump one day will no longer lead the GOP he has so radically transformed. So then what? By S.V. Date . . . Trump’s chaotic, fact-free personality cult thus far has no obvious heir apparent. At the same time, the president’s daily dishonesties, repeated insults of large segments of the electorate and likely collusion with a foreign power to win his election may have poisoned his adopted party’s brand for many elections to come. “We’re in a demographic death spiral,” said Republican consultant John Weaver, a top aide to former Ohio GOP Gov. John Kasich. “If we were Coca-Cola or Delta or any product on the market, would you be happy that your customers, your base of support, were old, white and closed-minded?” . . . . . . “He hijacked our party, and people went along with it,” said Weaver, who had previously worked for Arizona Sen. John McCain. “And we have try to fix it for the sake of the country.” That, though, may be easier said than done . . . For Weaver, the danger of leaving behind a “Trump party” is the biggest threat of all ― a generation of local, state and federal elected officials mimicking Trump’s verbiage. “How do you bottle up all that racism and misogyny that homophobia that he’s unleashed on the country?” he said. “The party is going to pay a heavy price for this, and they should.” If they can nominate people of decency, integrity, and competence — of whom they have many — the Republicans may attract enough votes to make up for the torch carriers they’ll lose (“some of them very fine people,” according to Trump). But can people of decency, integrity, and competence make it through a Republican primary in this new world Trump has created? I like to think so. Have a great weekend.