Dhe American Republicans are stuck in an identity crisis. At least since the mid-term elections, which were disappointing for them, the party no longer has a leader. Donald Trump is no longer the de facto presidential nominee, but there is no other—Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis has yet to prove himself on the national stage. Although many of the twenty rebels in the House of Representatives are among Trump’s most vocal supporters, none of them heeded the former president’s call for Kevin McCarthy to be speaker in the first 11 ballots.
Some explain the electoral defeat in November with the overly radical candidates, who in some places were ultimately defeated by Democrats, and urge moderation. The others can only explain the poor performance by saying that the “establishment” is fighting the “true” Republicans to defend its sinecure.
The “fight against the establishment” may be what most likely binds McCarthy’s opponents together. That’s almost odd, considering who it’s aimed at. Even before Trump’s rise to power, McCarthy had served in what was then the right-wing Tea Party movement, and later stood firmly at Trump’s side. Of course, he led the lawmakers who objected to Joe Biden’s election victory on January 6, 2021.
The Bush era is really over
After militant Trump supporters stormed the Capitol, McCarthy turned his back on Trump for a moment of political shock, but a few days later he made the pilgrimage back to his patron in Florida. Most recently, McCarthy made his closeness to the Trump camp clear by promising QAnon conspirator Marjorie Taylor Greene a post.
It is true that McCarthy also supported more moderate candidates during the election campaign in order to improve his party’s electoral chances. But he and the vast majority of the faction have little to do with the “mainstream Republicans” of the Bush era. Traces of this are most likely to be found in the Senate, where change is slower because senators are elected for six-year terms.
An affront to many Republicans: Mitch McConnell at a meeting with President Biden in Kentucky on January 4th.
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Image: AP
The contrast between the two chambers became clear on Wednesday evening: while the Republicans in the House of Representatives fought in ballots four, five and six, the top Republican of the smaller chamber, Mitch McConnell, appeared in his home state of Kentucky with President Joe Biden to celebrate the bridge project. With votes from both parties, the congress had decided on an infrastructure package. For the majority of Republicans, McConnell’s commitment to results-oriented politics was nothing short of a provocation.
The Three Levels of Trumpism
In this respect, the play, which has been performed in the House of Representatives since Tuesday, is actually not called “Trumpists against the Mainstream”, but “Trumpists against Trumpists”. However, one should distinguish between three levels of meaning. First, a Trumpist is anyone who offensively supports Trump. This is probably the most ephemeral form of appearance, because loyalty always depends on the assumed chances of victory.
