Las Vegas Sun

March 28, 2024

Editorial:

Signs emerging that fever of lunacy may yet break in Republican Party

Cheney

Amanda Andrade-Rhoades / AP

In this May 12, 2021, file photo, Rep. Liz Cheney, R-Wyo., speaks to reporters at the Capitol in Washington. Rep. Cheney of Wyoming has had a record fundraising quarter, bringing in $1.88 million. Financial reports filed with the Federal Election Commission on Thursday, July 15, 2021, show her campaign has over $2.8 million in the bank.

In ways that are sometimes quiet yet meaningful nonetheless, responsible Republicans are standing tall against the extremism that has rotted their party from the inside out and poses a growing risk to American democracy.

Take these two recent news items:

• Politico reported that ticket sales are lackluster for the upcoming stadium tour of former President Donald Trump and former Fox News serial sexual harasser Bill O’Reilly. Among the details: Stadiums in the four-city tour reported that the History Tour was being outsold by such acts as rapper Bad Bunny and comedian Katt Williams, and up to 65% of seats in Houston remained unsold despite tickets going on sale in mid-June.

• The Hill reported that congressional Republicans who voted to impeach Trump are outraising their challengers in campaign funding, often by huge margins. Rep. Liz Cheney, R-Wyo., banked $1.9 million in the second quarter of 2021 and finished June with more than $2.8 million, while neither of her Republican challengers took in more than $220,000 in the second quarter. A similar pattern has played out in Michigan, California, Ohio, Alaska and elsewhere.

For Americans who have been yearning for centrist Republicans to reject their party’s tumble into cult-like extremism, these are encouraging signs. We saw a similar situation close to home when responsible members of the Clark County GOP and the Nevada Senate Republican Caucus cracked back on the state party’s far-right leadership over a revelation that more than 30 members of the Proud Boys were allowed to take part in a state GOP vote to censure Nevada Secretary of State Barbara Cegavske.

To the Republicans who are saying “Enough” to the party’s march toward minority rule, its campaign to disempower Americans of color, its assault on public health through anti-vaccination misinformation and more, here’s a heartfelt show of support.

Unfortunately, of course, they’re facing a great challenge in rescuing the GOP from the far right and its destructive politics.

Candidates who reject the Big Lie are facing primary challenges across the country, including from anti-democracy candidates in the Marjorie Taylor Green/Matt Gaetz mold. Alarmingly, Media Matters reported recently that at least 36 QAnon-supporter candidates in 17 states were running for Congress. These are people like Ohio’s J.R. Majewski, who admitted breaching police barricades during the Jan. 6 Capitol insurrection. The lunatic fringe continues its too-often-successful efforts to penetrate the heart of the mainstream GOP.

Then there’s Clark County Sheriff Joe Lombardo, who refuses to unequivocally denounce the Big Lie, and in doing so undermines his oath to protect and serve the public by encouraging the extremism that led to threats and intimidation against dutiful election officials who went above and beyond last year to hold a free and fair election amid the pandemic. No announced Republican gubernatorial candidate in Nevada has shown the character to defend democracy and condemn the Big Lie.

Against this kind of irresponsibility and cowardice, it’s refreshing to see resistance from within the party.

Although the noisy despots in GOP leadership positions get the most attention, there are subtle signals from the rank-and-file that they recognize the emergency within their party and are willing to do something about it.

Certainly, they hold a key to pushing Republican extremism back to the fringes of society where it belongs. Their support of moderate candidates in the 2022 primaries is crucial to stemming the party’s momentum toward establishing minority rule.

America needs a strong and socially responsible Republican Party, as democracy works best when it involves groups with a range of interests coming together to constructively discuss solutions to best serve the public good. That’s not the GOP we see today, due to its far-right leadership. Instead, it’s become an organization of white grievance, of a brand of anti-elitism that puts the health and well-being of millions of Americans at risk, of vilification of immigrants and communities of color, and more.

Fortunately for our nation, we know there are some GOP members who realize that what’s going on here isn’t a fight between parties for seats but a battle for American democracy. They’re digging in their heels — and serving the nation well in doing it.