A veteran Republican pundit is revealing how he believes Republicans really feel about former President Donald Trump and, apparently, they aren't as fond of him as they once were.
During a discussion with The Daily Beast, pollster Frank Luntz referenced a recent joke New Hampshire Gov. Chris Sununu (R) made about Trump while at the Gridiron Club dinner in Washington.
"He's fucking crazy," Sununu said of the former president. "I don't think he's so crazy that you could put him in a mental institution. But I think if he were in one, he ain't getting out."
Although it's common for roasting to take place at the event, Luntz believes the remarks are indicative of a bigger problem as he noted how Republicans may feel about Sununu's remarks.
"I don't know a single Republican who was surprised by what Sununu said. He said what they were thinking," Luntz told The Daily Beast. "They won't say it [in public], but behind his back, they think he's a child. They're laughing at him. That's what made it significant."
Luntz also noted the sharp decline in Trump's influence over Republican voters. While the former president has had a relatively tight grip on the party to the point of his endorsement being a determining factor in elections, that does not appear to be the case anymore.
"Trump isn't the same man he was a year ago," Luntz added. "Even many Republicans are tired of going back and rehashing the 2020 election. Everybody else has moved on and in Washington, everyone believes he lost the election."
The Republican pundit's remarks follow a series of lackluster Trump rallies. Unlike the Trump rallies of the past, the former president is reportedly drawing much smaller crowds now. Speaking to MSNBC's Cori Coffin, Republican strategist Susan Del Percio weighed in on the low rally attendance in Selma, N.C., saying, "That's what you saw there: a very shrinking base."
