Start with primaries

Even before a new president is sworn in, we have witnessed the steps that some will take to win over the worst of Trump’s supporters. Senators Cruz and Hawley pushed false information regarding the 2020 election for political advantage in their failed attempt to stop the certification of the electoral votes.

Unfortunately, there is a possible path to the White House for those that push hate and spread misinformation seeking the Republican Party nomination for president in the primaries. We witnessed it with Trump. In a large field of candidates, if one can get 35-40 percent of the “crazies” that believe your lies and conspiracy theories to vote for you, you can win the nomination for president. It will be the primaries that will decide who will be the next Republican standard-bearer.

I often oppose the Republican Party on principles and policy. I don’t hate the Republican Party or dislike those that vote Republican. I have voted for Republicans in the past.

But I do oppose the Republican Party for harboring and coddling extreme radical membership. For years, it has failed to lead, but rather embraced and even worse courted these fringe groups by not denouncing misinformation or divisive speech. Trump did not do this on his own. He was enabled. Few in the party spoke up against his lies and actions.

The Republican Party is no longer the party we knew. It will take tremendous efforts to bring it back to the right or center-right. I fear the far right could be in the driver’s seat until leadership and frankly, average Americans, my neighbors, and friends that align themselves with the party expect more, beginning in the primaries.

It is no longer a question of who wins an election; it is a question of maintaining our democracy.

JIM LEWIS

Lincoln