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For years Republicans have spoken privately about their disgust with President Trump's racist tactics, focus on dividing us, and general incompetence. But at some point elected Republicans will distance themselves from all things Trump and Trumpism or risk being polluted with the association forever.

As the last few years have shown, the self-described party of law and order, of a hawkish defense, is in fact a cavalcade of wimps. Their fear of Trump prevents them from following their conscience and speaking publicly against his most outrageous actions.

When Trump is sufficiently weak be it before Election Day or after he likely loses they'll start pretending that they were against his controversial ways all along, betting on the fact that swing voters have short memories. The Trump stain has alienated suburban white women, working-class white women, young nonwhite voters, and other key demographics in large numbers. That will hurt all Republicans this November.

The question is what happens after the Trump presidency has faded into a frightening memory.

Throughout the last Presidential campaign, many Republicans spoke out against Trump. Sen. Cory Gardner said his "flaws are beyond mere moral shortcomings." Sen. Mike Crapo withdrew his endorsement. Rep. Martha Roby called him "unacceptable as a candidate." Sen. Lindsay Graham labeled him a "race-baiting xenophobic religious bigot." The list goes on.

The most notable Never Trumper was Mitt Romney, but he was too late, calling Trump out for his con man status after his Super Tuesday surge.

Since Trump's inauguration, there have been few glimmers of a spine in the GOP with a President who has separated immigrant families, defended white supremacists, attacked the integrity of the Justice Department, mismanaged the response to the pandemic, and called for military force against American citizens.

Over the course of his tumultuous first term, Trump has lost some Republicans with greater intestinal fortitude, like Rep. Justin Amash who had to leave the GOP in order to make a stand. Generally the loudest voices among other disgusted Republicans are not in office.

More commonly, elected Republicans have been too chicken to do more than stray mildly and briefly from Trump during his most un-ignorable atrocities. Trump's racist attacks on Democratic congresswomen in 2019, for example, led to distancing and disapproval from some GOP allies that evaporated at the speed of the news cycle. How easy it is to forget or ignore each offense rather than stand up to the source.

This year, of course, has brought us new depths in the Trump presidency, and the volume of recriminations has begun to increase. Former defense secretary James Mattis sent shock waves by denouncing Trump as a threat to the Constitution, and just on Thursday top general Mark Milley apologized for participating in Trump's controversial photo op. Ex-White House chief of staff John Kelly has questioned the President's ethics and encouraged Americans to "look harder at who we elect."

And The New York Times now reports that former President George W. Bush will not support Trump's re-election while Cindy McCain is almost certain to support Biden. With each week it seems a new voice joins the chorus.

But they are all formers: former presidents, former cabinet secretaries, former chiefs of staff. The real voices that need to speak up are the current elected Republicans. But that doesn't seem to be coming anytime soon.

If the past three years are any guide, Sen. Romney and Sen. Lisa Murkowski, who announced that she might not back Trump in November, will be lonely voices for country over party. Murkowski has never been afraid of Trump, and Romney followed the truth and his conscience during impeachment.

Most other elected Republicans will remain muted, avoiding uncomfortable topics in public while secretly wishing Trump would go away.

In November he will, inevitably, be revealed a loser. And politics hates losers.

Republicans will find ways to apologize for and distance themselves from Trump after four years of clinging to him. That's what politicians do.

But whether you're a Republican who rejects Trump's obscenity or an independent who votes for the individual, remember the GOP lawmakers who caved to Trumpism next time you're in the voting booth. Remember the moments they stayed silent during the most shameful time in modern American history.

We can't let the stain of the past four years be washed off Republicans who were too weak to restrain this president when the country so desperately needed them.

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Republicans are going to bear the Trump stain for years to come - Business Insider - Business Insider