Donald Trump finally dared to rear his mug on the national political stage again Sunday at a right-wing conference and what he promised was an internecine battle that seems poised to consume the Republican Party straight through 2022.
Trump's appearance in Orlando at the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC)—which, make no mistake, is nothing more than a group of ravenous carnival barkers gathering to gas up on conspiracy theories—was the glorious grievance parade we all expected. The election was stolen from Trump (it wasn't). Trump was unfairly targeted by tech companies (he was deplatformed, but not unfairly and certainly not too soon). And RINOs (Republicans in Name Only) are trying to "destroy" the party and the country alike.
Of course, Trump's definition of a RINO came down to anyone who opposes him, because in his mind and those of many Republicans, Trump is the party. But Trump didn't just mention the group of 17 congressional Republicans who voted to impeach him—he ran through every single one of them by name, essentially taking names and promising to crack skulls. "Get rid of them all!" Trump declared, pledging that he would be “actively working to elect strong, tough and smart Republican leaders.” In other words, no one with enough of a conscience to try to save the country—sycophancy alone is the order of the day.
But ousting all the GOP defectors who are up in 2022 is perhaps easier said than done. As Punchbowl News points out, the real question is “whether Trump is going to have the infrastructure and, more importantly, the sustained interest in launching and facilitating primary challenges against these Republicans. That would include endorsing and most likely clearing the field for candidates in various congressional districts across the country." In other words, the effort would take not only heat, but precision. Trump would have to be disciplined rather than just being a noxious blowhard who throws some money around.
Regardless of whether Trump is competent enough to actually oust all those lawmakers, he can certainly make a lot of trouble for at least some of them. Trump starts the endeavor with his Save America PAC, already flush with tens in millions in cash. He is also reportedly in the process of forming a super PAC that can take unlimited donations and support GOP candidates that pass his personal loyalty test.
As a counterforce, Rep. Adam Kinzinger of Illinois, who voted to convict Trump, is now forming a super PAC with his allies to support candidates who prove GOP candidates who prove willing to oppose Trump. According to The Washington Post, they also plan to launch a nonprofit aimed at building a "grass roots army" to support Republican candidates willing to buck Trump. Both groups will be able to accept unlimited donations.
Add all this to the fact that the two Republicans leading the GOP’s 2022 efforts to regain control of Congress have declared open season on any members of their caucus who fail Trump's loyalty test, and you've got a pretty rocky couple of years ahead for the GOP.