After Donald Trump’s second acquittal in an impeachment trial, his supporters celebrated the confirmed dominance of the Republican Party. But in doing so, an influential voice warned: “Mr. Trump can run again, but he will not win another national election.”
The Wall Street Journal also said that movements other than a race for the Republican nomination in 2024, for example, a “revenge campaign” or third party race, would only “divide the center right and elect Democrats”.
The trial came in an editorial in a newspaper owned by Rupert Murdoch, a dominant voice on the American right. He echoed the initiatives of Murdoch, the Journal and his other powerful media, Fox News, last November, right after an election that Trump still refuses to admit he lost.
On Saturday, seven Senate Republicans joined the Democrats in the vote to condemn Trump on charges of insurrection arising from the Capitol riot – 10 less than the required two-thirds majority.
Many Republicans, especially minority leader Mitch McConnell, criticized Trump’s behavior, but said they voted for absolution because the trial was unconstitutional. Scholars dispute this, and the Senate voted twice to proceed.
Trump issued a triumphant statement, promising supporters that “we would continue our incredible journey together to achieve American greatness for all of our people.”
And on its news pages on Monday, under the heading “Pro-Trump Candidates Launch Early Senate, Governor’s Proposals,” the Journal analyzed early movements in key states before the 2022 elections. The story detailed nascent pro campaigns -Trump in Ohio, Virginia, Arkansas and elsewhere.
But on the opinion page, under the headline “Trump’s Non-Vindication,” the editors of the Journal added the newspaper’s voice to Republicans’ warnings that Trump’s control over the grassroots may not translate into another successful race in the White House – although Democrats in Congress could not prevent him from a future post.
“For four years,” said the editorial board, “Trump’s conduct remained largely within constitutional limits – regardless of his rhetorical excesses and Democratic efforts to get him out of office in violation of rules and flogging conspiracy theories.
“But Trump’s dishonest challenge to the 2020 elections, even after several defeats in court, clearly broke those limits and culminated in the January 6 riot.
“Mr Trump can run again, but he will not win another national election. He lost his re-election before the events of January 6 and, as president, the approval of his office never exceeded 50%.
“He can run a revenge campaign or run as a candidate for a third party, but all he can do is divide the center right and elect the Democrats. The GOP defeats in the two January 5 races to the Georgia Senate proved this.
“The country is passing the Trump presidency, and the GOP will remain in the desert until that happens.”