What’s happening here is some seriously clumsy writing. GOP had the lead. Rats and independents between them have more. So more GOP “narrows the (aggregate) lead” of two other groups? It doesn’t even make sense to phrase it that way
When Trump got cheated out of his win, a LOT of Rs switched to independent.
I did and I told my local R office exactly why.
You won’t fight for Trump, we’ll cut you dead.
The independents still vote conservative but won’t give the Rs the satisfaction of claiming us.