Former Representative Carlos Curbelo
Carlos Luis CurbeloHouse Republican Party legislator unexpectedly shakes Senate trial The Memorandum: Historic vote leaves Trump more isolated than ever The Memorandum: GOP and nation struggle with what comes next MORE (R-Fla.) He argued in a pre-recorded interview that ran on Friday that the Republican Party got lost and became “wrapped in lies by fear”.
Curbelo and ex-senator Jeff Flake
Jeffrey (Jeff) Lane FlakeGrassley will vote against Tanden’s nomination, Klain, on Manchin’s objection to Neera Tanden: He ‘doesn’t answer us at the White House’ Tanden’s path to confirmation seems increasingly unsustainable MORE (R-Ariz.) Joined as part of the IntelligenceSquared US series of non-partisan debates to argue that many within the Republican Party are consciously defending the lie that the election was stolen for fear of retaliation from the previous one. President Trump
Donald TrumpDonald Trump Jr. calls Bruce Springsteen’s dropped charges a ‘liberal privilege’. Schiff sees challenges for the intelligence committee, a community in the shadow of Trump. McConnell says he would support Trump as the Republican Party nominee in 2024 MORE.
In his opening speech, Curbelo said that by embracing former President Trump’s electoral claims, which preceded the January 6 attack on the Capitol, the Republican Party lost its credibility and undermined democracy.
“Here we only have two [political parties] and for one to be able to hold the other accountable, it has to be viable. You have to have credibility. With most voters in the country, it must be a reasonable choice for most people, ”said Curbelo. “And the problem we have today in our democracy is that the Republican Party is losing that position. Why? Because he got lost. Because it is a party wrapped in lies and fear. “
Curbelo, a moderate conservative, lost his decisive district in South Florida in 2018 by only about 4,000 votes in what was a big year for Democrats.
He emerged as a vocal critic of Trump and the GOP leadership.
In the Intelligence Squared debate, he argued that many members of Congress know that Trump’s election allegations are false, but they lack the courage to stand up to him, knowing that it could cost them their seats.
“Most Republicans in Congress will recognize this in particular,” said Curbelo. “And again, this is the problem, that people are not telling the camera what they are saying to their friends. Why? Because Donald Trump converted the Republican Party into a personal club to promote his interests and even to question or challenge free and fair election results. And in doing so, it incited a riot that resulted in the contamination of one of the largest structures in the history of democratic government and the death of five people.
“If we are going to have an honest conversation about the Republican Party, we have to face this crisis, this cancer that is preventing many Republicans, not all, from telling people the truth, from being honest with voters, and from serving decently,” he added.
Flake, who clashed with Trump before retiring in 2018, said Republicans would accrue election losses if the party continues to keep Trump as its leader.
Flake noted that Republicans lost the White House, the House and the Senate under Trump, while losing both Senate seats in the previously red-tipped states of Arizona and Georgia.
Republicans unexpectedly won seats in the House in 2020, and Trump was the first Republican in decades to win in Pennsylvania, Michigan and Wisconsin in 2016.
But the former Arizona senator said more than 140,000 people registered as Republicans changed their registration after the January 6 riot, including 10,000 in his home state.
“Despite all this victory, I don’t know where it is,” said Flake. “We clearly lost our way as Republicans. We cannot move on unless we first recognize the truth. We lost our way. We can guarantee and we need to come back as a party. We have to give them that choice ”.
Trump will deliver a speech at the Conservative Political Action Conference on Sunday in his first major speech since leaving office. The former president must speak about the future of conservatism and the Republican Party.
Trump maintains broad support among a strong majority of the party, and he would be the prohibitive favorite to win the Republican Party nomination in 2024 if he decides to run again.
Some in the party, including the Senate minority leader Mitch McConnell
Addison (Mitch) Mitchell McConnell Minimum wage retreat revives progressive calls for Senate Schiff impeachment sees challenges for intelligence committee, Trump shadow community McConnell says he would support Trump as the Republican Party candidate for 2024 MORE (R-Ky.) And Rep. Liz Cheney
Elizabeth (Liz) Lynn CheneyConservatives chase Cheney for Trump CPAC watches The Hill’s Morning Report – Presented by The AIDS Institute – Forward: One-shot vax, easing restrictions, tax aid The Republican Senate Party works to prevent a 22-year war with Trump MOST (R-Wyo.), They asked Republicans to release Trump.
They are frustrated by Trump’s electoral claims and say the focus on fraud allegations may have cost Republicans their two Senate seats in Georgia and, ultimately, a majority in the upper house.
The Trump campaign lost dozens of legal challenges trying to overturn Democratic votes or overturn election results in decisive states before a pro-Trump crowd left the Capitol while the electoral college vote count was in progress.
New research from the R Street Institute found that two-thirds of all Republicans consider the 2020 election invalid.