To some frustrated Republicans, the main lesson from a disappointing 2022 election is clear: Donald Trump has become a drag on their party. They may well be right — but it will be a hard argument to make to their fellow Republicans, who tend not to place a high value on electability.
A growing number of party figures have blamed the former president for costing Republicans control of the Senate and the governorships of Pennsylvania, Michigan and Arizona. And with Trump announcing that he will seek to regain the White House himself in 2024, these critics are anxious to convince Republican primary voters that the party needs a new direction.
“Candidate quality matters. Holy cow, have we learned that one the tough way,” said New Hampshire Governor Chris Sununu, who proposed a “great policy for the Republican Party: Let’s stop supporting crazy, unelectable candidates in our primaries.” Former U.S. Attorney General Bill Barr complained that Trump created “mischief” by endorsing “weak candidates for key Senate and House seats.” The midterms were “a huge loss for Trump,” argued former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, proving that “his political instincts are not about the party, they’re not about the country — they’re about him.” Former House Speaker Paul Ryan recently labeled himself a “Never-Again-Trumper” in 2024 because “I want to win, and we lose with Trump."
