When it comes to Donald Trump’s presidential campaign, Republicans seem to have reached a point where they have agreed to disagree. A month ago, there was pressure for all Republicans to get behind Trump. No more. This equilibrium has been developing for some time, but yesterday’s meetings between Trump and GOP members of the House and the Senate have solidified the political landscape for Republicans. Members such as Sen. Jeff Flake (R-Ariz.) reportedly pushed Trump on changing his language and tone, while Rep. Mark Sanford (R-S.C.) questioned Trump’s fundamental knowledge of government. Members of Congress and others are no longer feeling any inhibitions about displaying their skepticism of Trump, and there is no longer an ongoing, serious dispute as to whether Trump has the desire, skills or temperament to pull the core of the party together.
Despite the Trump campaign’s protestations that members are in “total agreement” with Trump, I think there is now an understanding that everyone will go his or her own way. The appeals to non-supporters will fade. The Trump campaign knows that holding more meetings with the House and Senate caucus is not going to change anything.
Inside and outside the Beltway, Republican leaders are no longer under much pressure to rally around Trump. Trump supporters are being given a pass from their party colleagues, because it is understood they are doing what they think they need to do to keep peace with a bloc of their voters, are doing what they think they need to do for their careers or are at peace being part of an effort to stop Hillary Clinton. And conversely, among Trump’s sincere supporters, very few argue the merits of a Trump candidacy or presidency. There are very few zealous Trump missionaries (as opposed to anti-Clinton crusaders) remaining in the party — even at the state and local level.
Nothing in the past few days has made Clinton any more palatable to Republicans, but to many, the idea that they must support Trump to stop her is an insufficient reason to affirmatively support Trump. And many are beginning to believe that Trump is more likely to lose than not. So they are coming to grips with the reality that eventually, the GOP will probably be without Trump, and Republicans will be left trying to put the pieces back together.
Of course, there are some in both the Trump and anti-Trump wings of the party who think he could win. There could be a miraculous transformation at the convention, another Clinton debacle or some other external force that could hand him the presidency. But Trump actually becoming president is viewed as a problem (or opportunity) for another day. Republicans have four months to try to limit their losses and decouple from the Trump campaign. Many still hope for the best in the presidential race, but even knowing what “the best” might be is getting harder to see.