If there were any Republicans out there who were still hoping that ex-President Donald Trump and his former Vice President Mike Pence would somehow kiss and make up after their public tussle over the 2020 presidential election and the subsequent Capitol riot, I hope they read this. Because that bromance is officially over.
According to a bombshell report from the Wall Street Journal, Pence just put the final nail in that coffin when he made it clear that he would be the driving force that stood between Donald Trump and his attempts to ensure that only Republican lawmakers who devoutly support him would be elected in the upcoming primaries.
As noted by the WSJ, Trump is currently handing out his endorsements like lollipops and seems to be methodically choosing challengers to the incumbents in an effort to form a GOP that’s even more loyal and devout to him and him only.
The Journal explains that more than a few Republican governors are now distancing themselves from the one-term, twice-impeached former guy who not only lost his bid at a second term in office but went on to play a very large part in the GOP ultimately losing the House and the Senate.
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Michael Bender, with WSJ, reports, “Republican governors around the country have flashed streaks of independence based mainly on political calculations that they are better off giving priority to local issues and constitutional obligations. As a result, about half of the 16 Republican governors up for re-election next year also face primary challenges from opponents endorsed by the former president or otherwise inspired by him.”
According to the report ex-VP Pence, who’s currently got steep presidential aspirations of his own, participated in a private meeting with incumbent GOP governors and made it clear that he will support them in the upcoming elections — even if that means publicly betraying and challenging his old boss.
“I want to be clear. I’m going to be supporting incumbent Republican governors,” Pence reportedly said during his address in the private meeting.
Bender goes on to write that GOP governors are banding together, closing ranks, and throwing their support behind each other during these unprecedented times. The report states, “Several said in interviews that the group has grown closer during repeated governors-only calls during the pandemic.”
And as it turns out, this isn’t just good news for us for the simple fact that Pence and Trump are seemingly permanently on the outs. One Democratic observer explained that the beef between Donald and some of the incumbent GOP governors spells good news for Democratic challengers.
“These extreme primary challengers are going to push Republican governors further to the right and out of the mainstream,” spokesperson for the Democratic Governors Association, David Turner, explained. “The political environment is only going to improve for Democrats.”
You can read the full report here.
Featured image via Flickr/Gage Skidmore, under Creative Commons license 2.0
