Elected GOP Leaders Secretly Hope For Trump Election Loss: Report
Several “long-standing” elected Republican lawmakers are secretly hoping that the party’s nominee, former President Donald Trump, is defeated in the upcoming presidential election.
According to Politico’s Playbook on Wednesday some within the GOP are keen to move on from the Trump era, even if they’d never admit it publicly – and, according to the outlet, it’s not just the usual “Never Trump” crowd.
Key individuals that have relayed their concerns in confidence include free-marketeers concerned about Trump’s tariff idea, pro-life lawmakers disconcerted by the former president’s pro-choice remarks and defense hawks worried about his stance on NATO.
One conservative leader told Playbook: “There’s a lot of anxiety about what Trump does to Republican ability to win in 2028 — and what he also may do to the party in terms of policy long-term. There is just this concern that like, ‘OK, if the party just goes in that direction, then what kind of party is it going forward? And can conservatives, then, have a home going forward?’”
In a new column, Politico reporter Jonathan Martin wrote: “the best possible outcome in November for the future of the Republican Party is for Donald Trump to lose and lose soundly.”
He added: “GOP leaders won’t tell you that on the record. I just did.”
Martin digs in on Trump’s antics of the past two weeks, arguing that acts of “routine self-sabotage” show that “the best case for Trump’s defeat may, predictably, be Trump himself.”
The columnist continued: “He’s incoherent on abortion rights, unable even to appear at a cemetery without creating a political mess and is so bothered by those who’ve suffered the wounds of war that he slights Medal of Honor recipients. And, running against a female opponent, he’s pushing blowjob jokes about her and his last female opponent.”
“It won’t be easy to kick the habit,” he added. “But the Republican who forges a hybrid coalition — a modern-day conservative fusionism — between the pre-Trump party and his enthusiasts will be rewarded. No, it can’t be anti-Trump. But it must be post-Trump.”
While a loss could give Democrats more control, some Republicans argue it might give the GOP a better shot in 2026, positioning them to reclaim control of Congress.
“Moving past Trump in the aftermath of another defeat will hardly be easy,” Martin wrote. “But it’s essential if Republicans want to become a viable national party once more.”
