GOP governor slams his 'undemocratic' party for protecting Trump

Maryland’s Republican Gov. Larry Hogan is furious with his own party, which he says has taken an “unprecedented” and “undemocratic” step to block Trump from facing primary challengers in 2020.

“I’ve never seen anything like it, and I’ve been involved in the Republican Party for most of my life. It’s unprecedented,” Hogan told Politico’s Alex Isenstadt in an article published Thursday afternoon. “In my opinion, it’s not the way we should be going about our politics.”

Hogan may also have a personal stake here, since he’s mulling whether to challenge Trump in a 2020 primary. But it’s true that the RNC has already pledged to give Trump its “undivided support” in 2020, unanimously passing a resolution on the matter at the RNC’s winter meeting in January.

Some Republicans are even considering plans to cancel primary contests in their states to protect Trump.

“It’s very undemocratic,” Hogan said. “And the question is, what are they afraid of? Because on the one hand you look at polls, 70 percent of Republicans support the president in a primary. Why are they so concerned? Why the puffing out the chest?”

It’s a good question.

What are Republicans so afraid of?

Maybe it’s that they know their policy proposals — like slashing taxes for the richest and screwing the working class by taking away their health care — aren’t popular, and believe that Trump’s cult of personality is their only saving grace in 2020.

But that seems short-sighted, given that Trump’s base is shrinking. His base is roughly 35 to 40 percent of the electorate, according to FiveThirtyEight’s Nate Silver — not nearly enough to win him a nationwide election.

Yet Republicans capitulate to that base, fearful that Trump’s wrath could turn members of their already shrinking party against them.

It’s a catch-22 that no one should envy. But that’s what the GOP got themselves into when they hitched their wagon to the Trump Train.

Published with permission of The American Independent Foundation.