by RAHEEM J. KASSAM
A new Rasmussen poll sponsored by The National Pulse has revealed that self-identifying conservatives and Republicans blame the party’s institutional leadership – Kevin McCarthy, Mitch McConnell, and Ronna McDaniel – far more than they blame presidential front runner President Donald J. Trump for the party’s underperformance in America’s recent mid term elections.
The trio at the head of the party – dubbed the ‘McLeadership’ by this publication – have quietly attempted to foist blame onto President Trump for the results since November 8th. So too have Republican mega donors who ran to corporate news outlets before the mid terms, declaring their allegiances to Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, while turning their backs on Trump.
But ordinary, likely voters appear to be rejecting what the GOP and their bankrollers are selling. According to the latest data by Rasmussen, just 16 percent of conservative voters blamed individual candidates, and 20 percent blamed Donald Trump. More than double those who blamed Trump – 43 percent of conservative voters – blamed Republican leadership.
They were asked: “Republicans did not do as well in this vear’s elections as many had expected. Who is most to blame for this, the individual candidates, the Republican Party leadership, Donald Trump? Or is it nobody’s fault?”
Seventeen percent of those asked said it was “nobody’s fault,” while five percent were unsure.
The numbers flip drastically when asking self-identified liberals, raising questions as to who anti-Trump Republicans are now throwing their analysis in with. The ostensibly conservative National Review, for example, appears to sympathize far closer with left wing analysis than right.
Liberals blamed Trump for the GOP underperformance to the tune of 46 percent, versus 29 percent for the McLeadership, and 15 percent for individual candidates.