Today's Republican Party bears the deep imprint of Trump's personal influence, no longer heeding strategic advice from political commentators, moderates, or the party establishment.
After its defeat in the 2012 election, the Republican Party attempted to expand its voter base through post-election analysis, aiming to win over more non-white, young, and female voters in order to reclaim the White House. However, Trump's rise through populism, nationalism, and anti-immigrant policies has completely transformed the Republican Party's political landscape, gradually turning it into a political camp centered around him.
The rise of Jordan and Miller after the crushing defeat in the 2026 election is the latest manifestation of the Republican Party's further convergence with Trump's core supporters. House Republicans on Tuesday nominated hardline Representative Jim Jordan to serve as next year's Minority Leader. This follows Trump's appointment of Stephen Miller, a leading figure in the "America First" policy, as White House Chief of Staff.
Last week, the Democrats achieved a major victory, eliminating the most moderate Republican representatives in several swing districts. The Republicans who remained in office mostly came from the deep red districts where the Republican Party held a strong position, thus holding more conservative views and being more supportive of Trump. This means that even if the Republican Party shrinks, Trump's control over the party may actually increase.
The Democrats, on the other hand, will face the opposite situation in the new Congress. Due to breakthroughs in areas previously considered difficult to win, their ideological spectrum will broaden significantly. Democratic senators from red states like Texas, Kansas, and South Carolina will reveal a growing internal rift between centrists and liberal progressives.
(The above viewpoint is from a CNN article published on November 11th.)
