Free Republic

If Republicans step back and look beyond the legal and social-media spectacle of Donald J. Trump, they'll see screaming political sirens everywhere they gaze. Why it matters: The GOP's political trouble has been unfolding slowly but unmistakably, starting even before Trump's loss to Joe Biden in 2020. First, the 2018 House elections were a disaster for Republicans: Democrats had a net gain of 40 seats to take over the House — their largest gain since the post-Watergate election of 1974. Then Trump lost the presidency. Next, Republicans blew two runoff elections in Georgia and lost control of the U.S. Senate....

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis' resounding victory over Democrat Charlie Crist — fueled by the strongest GOP showing in Miami-Dade County in two decades — has cemented his position as a 2024 presidential contender. Why it matters: The big, broad win is a massive show of force against former President Trump, whose blessing propelled DeSantis to office. DeSantis is the first GOP governor to win Miami-Dade County, a Democratic stronghold, since Jeb Bush's re-election in 2002. He did so by double digits. "Never seen a race that big in my history of working in Florida politics. That's an absolute bloodbath," a...

Germany will send 1,000 anti-tank weapons and 500 Stinger missiles to Ukraine, marking a complete reversal in Berlin's restrictive arms export policy, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz announced Saturday. Why it matters: Germany has for months come under intense criticism for its response to Russia's aggression toward Ukraine. The government said its "historical responsibilities" prevented it from shipping arms to conflict zones, and had previously blocked other NATO allies from transferring German-origin weapons to Ukraine. What they're saying: "The Russian attack marks a turning point. It is our duty to do our best to help Ukraine defend against the invading army...

Former White House national security adviser John Bolton said in an interview with The Daily Telegraph that he plans to vote for Joe Biden over his former boss President Trump in November.Why it matters: While Bolton's scathing upcoming memoir about his time in the Trump White House makes clear his disdain for the president, he is a lifelong Republican and conservative who runs two political action committees dedicated to supporting GOP candidates.What he's saying: “In 2016 I voted for Trump over Hillary Clinton,” Bolton told the Telegraph. “Now, having seen this president up close, I cannot do this again. My...