If Republicans want to win in the future, they should drop Donald Trump like a bad habit. And soon. That’s usually what happens to losing presidents. If they don’t, he will continue to overshadow and define the GOP, making it impossible for the next generation of Republican leaders to emerge and (of equal importance) to distance themselves from the Trump stench.
Instead, we are witnessing a familiar sight: Republicans biding their time, while placating and enabling Trump’s nefarious behavior. Ted Cruz made the same miscalculation in 2015, when he sucked up to “Donald,” hoping to curry favor with his voters for when Trump inevitably dropped out of the 2016 race. Similarly, today, Republicans see Trump as a (probably) defeated president who still excites and dominates the grassroots base. They reason that he will surely go away, and that the smart strategic move is to demonstrate loyalty until he does.
Even if you don’t think Trump’s goal is to actually contest the 2020 election—even if you think it’s all a fundraising scam or mere “theater”—Trump’s refusal to concede is still a highly irresponsible act that damages trust in institutions and the GOP. Trump has no loyalty higher than his own self-interest; therefore, he doesn’t worry about collateral damage.