Staff Reports
In a stunning victory, former President Donald Trump triumphed in the New Hampshire primary, solidifying his dominion over the Republican Party and sending shockwaves through Capitol Hill. The remaining bigwigs in the GOP, particularly in the Senate, are squirming in their seats, hesitant to pick a side in the impending 2024 race.
Trump didn’t just win in New Hampshire; he dominated the competition, leaving his opponents in the dust with an 11-point lead. The former president gathered support from statehouses to Congress, but the big shots in the Senate, like Mitch McConnell and John Thune, have been avoiding the limelight and keeping their mouths shut about their 2024 loyalties.
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Mitch McConnell, the Senate Minority Leader, is notorious for wanting the GOP to move on from Trump. He’s been as quiet as a mouse, refusing to comment when asked about the primary. And it’s no secret that McConnell has had a rocky relationship with Trump since the 2020 election, blaming him for the Capitol riot and accusing him of tarnishing the party’s reputation. The tension reached a boiling point when Trump tried to sway Governor Kristi Noem to challenge Thune in a primary race.
Meanwhile, John Thune, the Senate Minority Whip, has also steered clear of endorsing Trump. Not only did he voice concerns about Trump’s electability in a general election, but he also came under fire from the former president after criticizing efforts to overturn the 2020 election results. Trump lashed out, labeling Thune as a “Republican in name only.”
The silence is deafening from other Senate leaders as well. Senators Joni Ernst and Shelley Moore Capito have opted to keep their distance from the 2024 race, neither ready to pledge support for Trump at this juncture. While Ernst has her favorites in the race, she’s playing it cool and remaining neutral for now, even after attending campaign events for potential contenders.
But not everyone is staying on the sidelines. Some Republican heavyweights have jumped on the Trump train, including Senator John Barrasso and Senator Steve Daines, who have thrown their support behind the former president. They’ve made it crystal clear that Trump is the Republicans’ best shot at defeating Joe Biden and reclaiming the Senate.
The House doesn’t escape the drama either. Congressmen Chip Roy and Thomas Massie have stood their ground, refraining from endorsing Trump in the primary race. However, the rest of the GOP leadership in the House has already backed the former president, leaving some of their colleagues in the dust.
As the dust settles, one thing is certain: the Republican Party is at a crossroads, and the Trump train is gaining steam. The battle lines are drawn, and it’s shaping up to be a showdown of epic proportions. The lingering question remains: will the GOP unite behind Trump or continue to grapple with internal divisions? Only time will tell.
