In the wake of devastating midterm losses, some Republicans are eyeing an exit strategy from Trumpism. But one conservative commentator warns that abandoning the former president would be a catastrophic misstep—one that could doom the party’s future.
The Panic After the Midterms
The 2026 midterms delivered a brutal blow to Republicans, with Democrats flipping Senate seats in deep-red states like Texas, Kansas, and South Carolina. The losses sparked immediate finger-pointing, with Vice President J.D. Vance among those suggesting the party’s hawkish stance on Iran contributed to its downfall. For some, the defeat signaled a need to recalibrate—and potentially distance the GOP from Trump’s influence.
Why Gas Prices—Not Trump—Cost the GOP
The op-ed, published in the American Thinker, pushes back hard on that narrative. The author argues that soaring gas prices—which hit a seasonal record of $4.48 after Iran’s Strait of Hormuz blockade—were the real culprit. With 87% of voters citing fuel costs as a top concern, the economic pain became an easy cudgel for Democrats. But the writer insists this was a temporary setback, not a rejection of Trumpism itself.
The MAGA Base Isn’t Going Anywhere
Trump’s approval among his core supporters remains sky-high at 93%, and these voters turn out: 75% of them said they were certain to vote, compared to just 57% of other Republicans. The piece warns that any candidate trying to ‘pick and choose’ which parts of Trump’s agenda to embrace will face brutal primary consequences. Recent history backs this up—from Liz Cheney’s landslide primary loss to Nikki Haley’s dismal 2024 showing, anti-Trump Republicans have repeatedly flamed out.
The High Stakes of 2028
The article’s central warning is stark: a candidate who hedges on Trump risks alienating the base in the primaries. Even if they somehow clinch the nomination, demoralized MAGA voters might sit out the general election. With Democrats now controlling Congress, the writer predicts bipartisan blame for ongoing economic struggles—giving Republicans a chance to rebound. But only, they argue, if the party doesn’t abandon the movement that won two presidential elections.
Source: www.americanthinker.com — https://www.americanthinker.com/blog/2026/11/distancing-from-trump-is-political-suicide/