another round of primary elections has taken place in this country. in republican primaries, trump loyalists were the winners, for the most part. perhaps the most significant victories for "big lie" supporters were in arizona, where the trump-backed candidates for united states senator and secretary of state won their primaries against more moderate candidates. the gubernatorial primary is still too close to call, but it appears that the trump-endorsed candidate will prevail.
the influence of the former president over republican voters is easy to see, but what isn't as clear is whether independents will support far-right conspiracists in the general election. democrats nominated strong candidates in their primaries, and one hopes that these candidates will prevail with the support of a large number of independent voters along with moderate republicans and reliable democratic voters. in large measure, voter turn-out will be the key to who wins in november's elections.
in michigan, the republican nominee for governor won with trump's blessing and will face an incumbent democrat who has been an outspoken opponent of trumpism and his lies about the past presidential election. in missouri, voters repudiated the most extreme trump-backed candidate for the united states senate, but they did nominate a candidate who vows to support the trump agenda if he is elected in november. that republican nominee will likely win in red-state missouri unless some evidence of wrongdoing on his part emerges. the democrats have nominated a candidate with strong name recognition, a member of a family that has long been influential in missouri. perhaps her moderate views and strong support for women's rights will attract enough supporters to give her candidacy a fighting chance.
it is amazing that trump continues to exert so much influence over a segment of the population. former republican vice-president dick chaney, a staunch conservative, has called him a threat to our republic. other prominent republicans have spoken out against him and urged others to move on from trump's loss in the last election. still, trump loyalists continue to support him and his ideas, and many politicians fear electoral loss unless they pay lip service to trump and his brand of jingoistic, misogynistic politics. trump's bent toward autocracy and his kinship to leaders like hungary's orbán are dangerous and unamerican. rather than making america great, trumpism will destroy the values on which the country was founded if it prevails in the next two elections.
may we see the danger such demagogues pose. may his followers awaken to the grifts he continues to perpetrate. may those who oppose his brand of nationalistic autocracy unite at the polls to vote for candidates who will move our country forward and who embody true american ideals. may we rid ourselves of trump and his ilk once and for all, so that he can no longer encourage the racists and misogynists in our midst. shalom.
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