Free Republic

Talk of political self-immolation or a party requiring decades to get back on track may seem hyperbolic to some. But it’s understandable when looking at the past four years through the lens of the so-called “Never Trumpers.” The 45th president lost the 2020 election, trailing President Biden by about 7 million votes. He made repeated and false claims of election fraud, in the process fueling the violence of Jan. 6, 2021. He continues to push those falsehoods. He was impeached for his role in Jan. 6 — becoming the only president in American history to be twice impeached. Over the...

Nikki Haley is on the rise, looking for an upset that could derail former President Trump’s path to the Republican presidential nomination. It’s becoming increasingly clear that the New Hampshire primary is her best— and perhaps only — chance.Haley’s advance in the Granite State has been striking.A new American Research Group (ARG) poll released Thursday put Haley within 4 points of Trump in New Hampshire — a jaw-dropping result given that Trump has a lead of about 50 points in national polls. The ARG poll showed Trump with 33 percent support in New Hampshire and Haley at 29 percent, with...

The Hill predicted Sunday that Florida Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis will secure the 2024 GOP presidential nomination with former President Donald Trump as the runner-up contender.DeSantis was picked as the top candidate for his double-digit reelection during the midterms and what The Hill calls "his embrace of culture war issues and his opposition to COVID-19–related lockdowns." Explaining why Trump was ranked as the second most likely 2024 nominee, the outlet said: "Trump would have been the runaway favorite had these rankings been drawn up the day before the midterm elections. Since then, virtually everything the president has touched has turned...

Former President Trump met a muted response from many Republicans when he launched his 2024 White House bid at Mar-A-Lago this month. But his campaign is stirring excitement, and even some glee, from Democrats. Members of President Biden’s party are openly pining for Trump to become the 2024 Republican nominee, believing he is just too flawed to win a general election. They argue that the situation today is markedly different from 2016, not least because voters now know what they get with Trump in office. And Democrats are eager to have such a beatable opponent in an election that is...

Democrats are feeling stirrings of optimism about November’s midterm elections. It’s a remarkable shift of mood for a party that had been bracing for heavy defeats only a few weeks ago. Share Tweet ... More Democrats are feeling stirrings of optimism about November’s midterm elections. It’s a remarkable shift of mood for a party that had been bracing for heavy defeats only a few weeks ago. President Biden’s party colleagues believe they have a strong chance of holding on to control of the Senate, at least. That’s partly because Republican candidates are struggling in key states such as Pennsylvania, Georgia...

The toxic acrimony of national politics is seeping down to the local level — and the consequences look ever more ominous. In recent weeks, school board meetings across the country have descended into screaming matches, often over mask mandates. Meanwhile, election workers are still reckoning with the forces unleashed in last year’s presidential election — and the fear in some states that new laws mean they could be sued or harassed by partisans in the future.