New polling shows that Republican voters do not want their party’s politics to mimic the hall of mirrors the MAGA movement has constructed for itself online.
If you spend any time surfing Twitter/X’s “For You” tab (I don’t recommend it), you will find nestled amongst the pornography, casual antisemitism, and hagiographical Elon Musk encomia a lot of performative displays of fealty to Donald Trump’s cultural movement. That wouldn’t matter much save for the fact that so many influential figures at the top of America’s political hierarchy seem to spend inordinate amounts of time on the platform.
That rabbit hole can induce in its denizens a distorted view of the political landscape. One conclusion its occupants are likely to draw is that Republican voters want a monolithic GOP that integrates Trump’s every utterance into its worldview with maximum zeal. But that’s not what the polls show.
A CBS News survey over the weekend found that only four in ten self-identified Republicans believe the GOP should “support whatever Trump wants.” By contrast, 60 percent would like to see Republicans evince some intellectual consistency and “push back” on him when they disagree. The Pew Research Center confirmed CBS’s findings. Most Republicans are confident in Trump’s abilities and judgment, and they expect him to represent their interests. And yet, a majority of Republicans also do not want their congressional representatives to roll over for Trump at all times and in all cases. “While Republicans largely back Trump’s plans and policies, 55% say GOP representatives in Congress do not have to support the president when they disagree,” Pew found.
At least, that’s what most Republicans are telling pollsters. But the instinct on display in these findings should not be dismissed as purely theoretical. Republican voters’ understanding that the congressional GOP serves in a distinct capacity from the president and that intraparty checks on the White House are as valuable as the constitutional checks on executive power is a civic-minded sentiment.
And yet, the devil will be in the details. Just because House Republicans might disagree with the president on this issue or the other doesn’t mean the base will share their discomfort. Indeed, polling suggests Republicans are more likely to defer to Trump than they are their congressional representative. Republicans will have to be choosy about the grounds on which they oppose Trump’s instincts. So far, the congressional GOP’s indulgence indicates that they haven’t figured the proper balance out yet.
Still, this polling shows that Republican voters do not want their party’s politics to mimic the hall of mirrors the MAGA movement has constructed for itself online.