Readers respond to Question of the Week: GOP changed for good post-Trump?

Trump still has a very firm grip on Republican Party

Since Donald Trump was elected president in 2016, he has held a stranglehold on the Republican Party, even to this day. I feel that the party base has moved too far to the right, just like the party base of the Democratic Party has moved too far to the left. Because of that, there’s not much chance of compromise somewhere around the middle. I would like the Republican Party to move back closer to the middle, with the traditional Republican platform of smaller government, addressing our crushing national deficit, free trade and human rights that started with Abraham Lincoln. The trick is to make this move more to the center and still keep the Trump-like right wing of the party in the fold. Trump should not run for president ever again. Ron DeSantis might work, with Tim Scott as vice president.

All was good back when we had Trump’s leadership

First off I’d like to point out that there was no “insurrection” on Jan. 6. The closest we ever came to an insurrection was when the Democrats tried to oust the president with a trumped-up series of misconduct.

As far as the GOP staying in the Trump mold: If that means the way things were during his time in office, we can only hope so. The only improvement would be if Elon Musk could conceal his birth place and run for the top job.

Like it or not, Trump brought out the best of the GOP in America

I really don’t think Trump changed the values of the GOP. He actually brought out the best of the party. I think most conservatives have the same views as Trump but because he is hated so by the left some don’t want to be considered in his league. Hated or not, he did a good job during his term. If Biden had seen fit to keep many of Trump’s policies, his term in office would not be so disastrous.

Even though Trump supposedly lost to Biden, the voting power for him was substantial. I don’t think Biden or any other Democrat has a chance in 2024 due to such a failure in the White House. I’m not sure who the 2024 GOP candidate will be, but that person will undoubtedly get my vote.