Even if President Trump loses reelection, evidence is growing that his populist, personality-driven movement will continue to dominate the Republican Party, overpowering conservatives who are trying to sketch out alternatives. The clearest signs can be seen among the Trump acolytes making early moves to win the 2024 Republican nomination. “People are laying the groundwork to consolidate that Trump base,” said Amanda Carpenter, a Republican Trump critic and former advisor to Texas Sen. Ted Cruz, another would-be successor. Even more recently, several Republican senators in tight elections have tried to distance themselves from Trump as his electoral prospects have dimmed. “The movement consists of Trump!” said Ruth Wodak, an Austrian linguist who has written extensively about European right-wing populism.

Source: Los Angeles Times October 23, 2020 14:02 UTC