Both CNN and the Washington Post promoted stories on Wednesday morning with the same phrase: “A grim prospect.” But this time, neither of those sites was discussing the fate of America health care or even wrangling with “little rocket man.” Instead, they were talking about the future of the Republican party.
CNN:
Ed Gillespie's resounding loss in Tuesday's Virginia governor's race -- coupled with a series of other losses in lower-profile races around the country -- will likely take what was bubbling concern among Republicans about their prospects in the 2018 midterms and transform it into a frothing cauldron of panic.
The Washington Post:
The result is a bad omen for the Republican Party nationally, who will face head winds across the country in 2018, given continued frustration with political leaders in Washington and Trump’s low approval rating. Without faith that Trump’s base will match the enthusiasm of Democrats, many Republican candidates believe they will have to seek out a new political strategy to hold onto power.
But the best news for Democrats may actually come from Fox News, where a visitor to the site would have trouble determining that an election was held on Tuesday night—it takes scrolling down a couple of screens to find a single story about any results. However, there’s Trump’s favorite morning entertainment, providing comfort for a traveling Trump:
The best possible Republican takeaway from this election, for Democrats, is the idea that Republicans must tie themselves even more closely with Trump. Not only does it sink them into the ongoing mire of Trump’s corruption, crudeness, and incoherence, it gives them the chance to experience the joy of having Trump personally attend their campaign events. From the Democratic perspective, it certainly beats having Republicans listen to this guy.
Former Republican Party chairman Michael Steele said the result reminded him of the 2006 election, when Republicans lost control of the House in a wave election amid low approval for President Bush. In that race, like this one, the president was a major factor, even if his name was not on the ballot.
“The lesson — and it's a very important one — is you cannot wrap your policy, or your philosophy, in one person. You’ve got to stand for something,” Steele said.
But Republicans have spent the last year working hard to show that they don’t stand for anything. That they’re willing to double back on any issue, position, ally, or agreement—sometimes in the time it takes Trump to move his thumbs. Trump’s own surrogates have gone on the air to defend one of his deeply held beliefs, only to have Trump undermine the position before they could leave the camera’s glare.
Republicans either have to stand with Trump as Trump, discarding the notion of any other principles, or burn the bridge to Trump and let him crash on his own. There’s no real middle ground.
Lessons from off-year elections can be overdrawn, but the Virginia race strongly suggests that Republicans running in swing states will have to choose a side rather than try to straddle an uncomfortable line. Mr. Trump’s blunt force, all-or-nothing approach has worked in deeply conservative areas, but Republicans will have trouble replicating that in certain states in the midterms next year when faced with a diverse, highly educated electorate like the one in Virginia.
Donald Trump loves the poorly educated. Now Republicans get to see if they’ll spread that love around … and how far it will go.