Trump Runs Against Republicans - WSJ Editorial

The ascension of Kamala Harris as the Democratic presidential nominee has Donald Trump fumbling for an effective strategy. But in the meantime he’s reopening old feuds with fellow Republicans. That will work about as well for him as it did in 2020.

Mr. Trump used a campaign appearance in Georgia on Saturday to tee off on the state’s GOP Governor, Brian Kemp, and Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger. Both men won re-election in 2022, despite Mr. Trump’s vocal opposition, even as Trump-backed candidates lost elsewhere. But no matter, Mr. Trump will never forgive either man for not joining his attempt to overturn the 2020 election in the Peach State.

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Mr. Trump also cost Republicans two Senate seats in special elections in January 2021 when he told his partisans that the November election had been stolen. Turnout was down in Republican areas of the state. Why vote if your candidate says your ballot won’t count?

Mr. Trump’s rants are especially counterproductive because he needs Mr. Kemp’s organization in Georgia. Mr. Kemp is supporting the former President and is deploying his turnout machine, but Mr. Trump may convince many of those Republicans to vote for someone else or stay home as they did in 2020.

Mr. Trump won’t win if he’s fighting about the past instead of laying out an agenda for the future. But he simply can’t help himself.

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