The two election officials in Georgia -- the ones who pushed back against Trump -- are the kind of Republicans who can save their party from itself. You know, the conservatives with principles? Yeah, those ones.
It's hard to find any of those types in Washington. Heather Cox Richardson calls moderate Republicans "business Republicans" and the extremists "populists."
She says that the business Republicans originally put up with the populists because they needed money and votes, but never intended them to have the kind of power that they got from Trump.
Now the business Republicans are trying to put the populist tigers back in the bag in full view of all the other tigers, but without letting any of the tigers know. It's not going well because none of the officeholders are willing to risk their seats.
We have seen a few outspoken Repugs. Liz Cheney comes to mind. "Donald Trump has no future in the Republican party" is a far bolder statement than any of her fellow Republicans are willing to make. We're told that Adam Kinzinger of Illinois is also risking his political future by speaking up against Trump. Good for him.
A slough of other Republicans, from Mitch McConnell on down, really want to see Trump go away. There are the many Republicans who gave Liz Cheney back her leadership post in the Senate by a 2 to 1 margin.
The key: It was a secret vote.
In public, practically all of the business Republicans have to keep generating enough hot air to keep the giant Trump balloon aloft.
Remember Rand Paul's trial balloon about whether it's constitutional to impeach after the official leaves office -- the one that drew 45 votes against impeachment from Senate Republicans? That had 100 votes in all, but there is no requirement that every Senator show up for the Senate trial in the flesh.
Suppose 25 Republican Senators find reasons to visit with the folks at home (or golf with a lobbyist, or have a picnic with Grandma)? That would make 75 votes, 50 of them from Democrats. That would mean a 2 to 1 vote to convict Trump.
Sure, I'm tap dancing on a rainbow, but still. You can bet that a ton of Republicans don't want to vote to acquit Trump. They just feel as if they have to.
The source is a post by Heather Cox Richardson:
https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=2596163357194381&id=241446929332714
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