Staff Reports
As the momentum continues to build for Republican candidates, the expectations surrounding Donald Trump are reaching new heights. The recent attempted assassination of Trump has only fueled the Republicans’ surge, leaving even the left-leaning news outlets both fascinated and terrified.
However, it’s not just Trump’s campaign that benefits from this momentum. Congressional Republican races are also experiencing a boost. According to YouGov, Republicans, who were previously trailing behind Democrats, have closed the gap and are now neck and neck at 45 percent for voting intention. The Real Clear Politics average has Republicans at +0.4.
Now, let’s not get ahead of ourselves and start celebrating prematurely. We won’t make that mistake again. However, if this surge in momentum continues and Republicans start to gain a substantial lead, to the point where they are almost assured of winning both the House and the Senate, then that becomes a good problem to have.
So true – and scary because Republicans can fuck up anything
As Republican Congressional Candidates Become More Popular, the Expectations Around Trump Intensify https://t.co/DxquJgZ7o2
— Wading through stupidity (@ShellyAO) July 18, 2024
The issue is that with more power comes greater expectations. And with the radicalism of the Democrats reaching levels not seen since the 1920s, the expectations for Republicans to clean house will be sky-high. Americans, not just Republicans, will want to see Washington cleaned up, its priorities refocused, and heads roll figuratively (not literally).
Let’s be honest; the past four years have been pretty scary. Democrats have invaded our personal lives in numerous ways. They locked us down, tried to force unproven vaccines on us, threatened our livelihoods if we didn’t comply, and abused the economy to the point of mass layoffs. They even used the justice system as a tool to enforce their flimsy narratives and targeted certain groups as enemies of the state. And now? Now, we’re talking about the possibility of war. It’s been a wild ride, to say the least.
We now have a government that has grown out of control, treating its citizens as subjects to be manipulated rather than individuals to be represented. The government’s power has enabled this mentality grabs over the years. The current politicians, elected or appointed, act as if they answer to no one. Unfortunately, in many cases, they’re not entirely wrong.
If Republicans gain control of all congressional chambers and the executive office, the people’s expectations will be even higher. Trump and his party will be expected to clean up the mess left behind by the Biden administration. Those who did wrong during Biden’s time in power should be held accountable, investigated, and punished to the fullest extent of the law. Laws should be crafted to rein in government overreach and excessive spending and protect the rights of the American people.
It’s a huge responsibility, but the Biden years have shown us how far the left will go to obtain and maintain power. We cannot allow that to happen again. This should be a wake-up call, a moment of realization that we came dangerously close to losing everything Ronald Reagan warned about.
However, there is a potential problem. With such high expectations comes the risk of disappointment. If Trump’s time in office fails to deliver what the people expected, it could damage the Republican Party’s reputation. Democrats will seize the opportunity and rise again, capitalizing on the perceived weakness and lack of motivation within the Republican base.
The people will ask, “You said fight like hell, so why didn’t you?”
If Republicans want to secure victories in the 2026 midterms and 2028, they need to damage the D.C. machine in the next four years seriously. Trump’s choice of J.D. Vance as his successor suggests that he trusts Vance to continue the “Make America Great Again” agenda. This means that the Republican team, led by Vance, must give people a reason to stay fired up. They must either complete the already substantial work that has been done or go above and beyond expectations.
Failure to do so could be disastrous for the future of the Republican Party.
Ronald Reagan famously said, “We’re only one generation away from losing it all.” Well, it’s worse than that. We’re just one weak term away from losing everything we hold dear.
