quote:

Will Chamberlain

@willchamberlain

I've made a point of not attacking pro-Trump influencers, especially ones who I've been friendly with in the past.

There's a number of reasons for this. For one, I strongly supported Trump in 2016 and 2020. I see Trump supporters as part of my "wing" of the party - the America First wing - even if I'm supporting a different candidate in this primary. And when the general comes around, we're all going to be back on the same team again.

For another, I think it's tacky.

I'm going to continue that here.
@SebGorka
, I have no interest in lobbing personal attacks at you. Even given your intemperate remarks towards me, I don't dislike you, personally.

My point - that Trump is going to be a convicted felon and will drag down the GOP next November - is descriptive. It's not normative. I don't want Trump convicted. He still has a substantial chance of being the nominee. I want Republicans to WIN. I want Democrats out of power. I want the lawfare to stop. Trump being convicted is bad for Republicans, and bad for the policy outcomes I want achieved.

But, winning requires grappling with reality, and the reality is that Trump is an anchor on the party, weighing it down. The last time we won an election was 2016 - when Trump was facing a hugely unpopular candidate WHO HAD HER OWN LEGAL PROBLEMS. Remember the emails? The October Surprise of Comey reopening the investigation? That stuff dragged Hillary down.

Well, we're about to see that dynamic, but ten times worse. The DC trial starts in March. Trump has no hope of an acquittal, not with a DC jury and a rabidly partisan judge. The appeals process won't proceed quickly enough for him to have any adverse trial rulings tossed out before Election Day.

So he's going to be a convicted felon by Election Day. Most likely by June. What does that actually mean, if he were to be the nominee?

Well, first and foremost, he could simply be incarcerated. Once he's convicted, Judge Chutkan - who hates him - could simply remand him into custody. Alternatively, if she felt like being generous (and why would she), she could simply restrict his travel pending sentencing.

No rallies. No GOTV efforts. Biden chose to run a basement campaign. Trump - in the best scenario! - will likely be forced to do so. And that's just the one case in DC! Trump will likely be sitting in a defendant's chair during most of the general election campaign.

What's the plan to win, given that reality? What's the plan to avoid a complete landslide? Is there one?

You criticize me for "acquiescing" to the judicial persecution of the President. That is wrong. I want the next Republican President to pardon Trump, and everyone else caught up in this ridiculous lawfare.

But to do that, we must *win*. And burying your head in the sand is no strategy at all.