Top Republicans have begun feeling a lot more comfortable in opposing Trump’s wants and wishes in recent months, in a sign that the former president’s vise-like grip over the GOP may be slipping. A prime example of this was in the run-up to the Republican primaries in Georgia, when a slew of top Republicans backed and even campaigned with incumbent Governor Brian Kemp. He eventually won his primary by more than 50 points against David Perdue, who Trump endorsed and held rallies with. In other Georgia races, Trump’s endorsed candidates for attorney general and secretary of state also lost by wide margins, while his preferred candidate in the governor races in Idaho and Nebraska also their primaries. Other potential Republican 2024 presidential candidates – including Trump’s VP Mike Pence – have also begun suggesting that they’d run, even if Trump were to stage another bid for the White House. “I don’t think [Trump] has ever looked as vulnerable as he does now,” a Republican strategist told The Hill. “Naturally, people are going to notice that and take the opportunity to put themselves out there a little bit more.” “Without the White House, social media or a campaign, Trump doesn’t have as much power, and that’s reflected in his mediocre endorsement record, the fact that other Republican leaders don’t defer to him and the decreasing amounts of media coverage,” said Republican strategist Alex Conant. “He’s still the most powerful person in the party, but he’s definitely seeing the limits of what he can do post-White House.” (YWN World Headquarters – NYC)      

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