In an exclusive interview, former Wyoming Congresswoman Liz Cheney expressed her hopes for rebuilding the Republican Party after Donald Trump exits the political arena. She isn’t alone in this sentiment; former Utah Senator and presidential nominee Mitt Romney shares a similar vision.
Larry Hogan, the former governor of Maryland who is currently running for a U.S. Senate seat in a Trump-led GOP, emphasized his belief that a post-Trump Republican Party is possible. “Many people are frustrated with the party’s current direction, and some have thrown in the towel,” Hogan told us. “We need to stand up and reclaim the Republican Party, steering it back toward a broader, more inclusive vision—think Reagan’s party—that can win elections again.”
Michael Steele, the former chair of the Republican National Committee and now an MSNBC host, advocated for more radical measures. “We need to dismantle this chaotic party structure and restore rationality to it; otherwise, something completely different will emerge,” Steele asserted. He pointed out that Hogan could play a pivotal role in whatever unfolds, citing other key figures who have resisted the Trump influence, including Cheney, former Congressman Adam Kinzinger, and Joe Walsh. “We’ve been sidelined, but we’ll have a voice in what happens on November 6,” he added, referring to the day after the upcoming election where Trump will face Kamala Harris.
The outcome of that election will be consequential. If Trump wins, the future of the party remains uncertain. If he loses, the more traditional Republicans, often labeled as “never Trumpers,” may attempt to reclaim their party. Reed Galen, a co-founder of the anti-Trump Lincoln Project and an adviser to George W. Bush and John McCain, has a stark perspective on the challenges ahead. “It might take between six to ten years to definitively shift the MAGA influence in the party,” Galen stated. He noted that 85% of Republican primary voters in the current cycle supported Trump, suggesting a significant challenge for anyone seeking to unseat his faction.
While Galen sees possible erosion of Trump’s influence following a loss, he doubts it will dip below 50%. “Those who identify as diehard or MAGA Republicans aren’t looking to return to the days of John McCain or Mitt Romney,” he explained. He emphasized that the current establishment will need to undertake significant work to address the anti-democratic elements within their ranks. “Based on their track record, I’m not convinced they are willing to do that. They might focus on survival, hoping that this phase burns out on its own.”
Cheney has gone the furthest in her efforts, even campaigning for Harris in key states. Romney has taken a more subdued approach, which some analysts, like Republican strategist Sarah Longwell, label “genuinely insane.” She criticized Romney’s reluctance to endorse Kamala Harris, arguing that the Trump faction’s hold is too significant for such passivity to be effective.
Cheney has even hinted at the potential need to create a new right-wing party, citing the Republican Party’s collaboration with an “unstable” leader. However, this endeavor would be fraught with challenges, especially considering how effectively right-wing donors and advocacy groups capitalized on Trump’s political capital.
Galen described the entrenched nature of far-right forces within the party, including heavyweights like the Heritage Foundation and dark money networks. “These groups have spent decades and billions building their influence. They’re not going to just back off and let the establishment reclaim its party,” he noted.
Emerging leaders like Ohio Senator J.D. Vance are also navigating this tricky landscape. Though Vance once opposed Trump, he has since aligned himself closely with the former president’s inner circle. “There’s a shared secret among some younger Republicans that they want Trump to lose, not just for the party’s future but so they can launch their own ambitions,” Galen pointed out.
He acknowledged, however, the difficulty these younger figures will face in completely disassociating from Trump. “Even if he loses, they will still struggle to break free from the legacy he leaves behind,” he said, underscoring the deep-rooted nature of this political transformation.
As for the Republican establishment’s fight for reclamation, Galen believes spending time pondering its potential is futile. He characterized Cheney, Hogan, and Romney as “dinosaurs of the Republican Party,” suggesting they are products of a bygone era amid a transformative moment.
Reflecting on a recent debate he participated in, Galen shared a sobering exchange with a young Trump supporter who said, “We killed your party, and we couldn’t be happier about it.” Summarizing his concerns, Galen remarked, “The Republican Party has become a nationalist, nativist entity. All the tenets I grew up valuing—like fiscal responsibility and individual liberty—have vanished.”
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