GOP pollster says 'impotent' Republicans have 'shelved' their moral compass
Longtime Republican pollster Sarah Longwell told MSNBC that she's watched as the Republican party grew more willing to compromise their principles, rendering them entirely "impotent."
"Deadline: White House" host Nicolle Wallace began her show on Tuesday by showing a clip of Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) demanding that Jan. 6 defendants who violently attacked police officers should be punished. Not only has Cruz backed off such a demand, but President Donald Trump gave those who attacked police a pardon or commutation.
Republicans are willing to say those who violently assault a police officer shouldn't be pardoned, "but they're not going hard at Trump," noted Longwell, who is also publisher of The Bulwark.
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The reason, she said, is Trump and his supporters have become so loud and threatening that they're able to intimidate and silence Republican critics.
"Menace and intimidation by Trump supporters have gone a long way over the last eight years to silencing Republican criticism of Donald Trump, to making Republicans take the voice in their head that knows the difference between right and wrong, understands the right thing to do," said Longwell. "But when they get shouted down by Trump supporters, they basically shelve that part of them."
Her more recent example was Sen. Joni Ernst (R-IA), who was unwilling to support Pete Hegseth for secretary of Defense. After teasing that fact, she was inundated with threats, including those from Elon Musk, who said he'd spare no expense to primary any Republican who opposes Trump. Another often cited is Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC).
Trump has made clear that anyone willing to attack public officials and police in defense of Trump will receive a pardon.
"That is one of the scariest things I have ever seen happen in this country," she said. "And the fact that there is an impotent Republican Party unwilling to stand up and say anything in this moment tells you everything you need to know about how they're going to behave over the next four years."
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