Letter to GOP Senators: It’s worth standing up to Trump. Just ask Brian Kemp.
Or consider GA SoS Brad Raffensperger's 2022 mandate: a 10-point win in a state Trump carried by 2 points.
Overwhelming and relentless—that’s the message the MAGA world is sending to Democrats, Democratic voters, and even Republican officials who prioritize the country over Trumpism. Yes, there are plenty of such Republicans, though many prefer to stay hidden.
Their message is clear: We are too strong to oppose. They seek to pressure the Senate—the final guardrail against turning America into a banana republic—to fall in line and abandon its check on executive power.
Does this look like they got it all? Far from it.
The vote count isn’t finalized yet, but Donald Trump’s margin of victory in 2024 will fall below 1.9%. That’s all he could muster, even amid an anti-incumbency wave sweeping ruling parties out of power worldwide. In France, President Emmanuel Macron’s party came in second in the July 2024 elections. The Tories suffered a historic defeat in Great Britain this year, bringing an end to years of political dominance. Germany is bracing for elections in March 2025, with the ruling party enduring months of losses. The United States wasn’t spared from this post-COVID backlash against incumbents.
If that kind of tailwind only lifted Trump to a victory under two points, what happens in 2026? The President’s party rarely fares well in midterms—a well-documented, long-standing trend. And you know the Senate map in 2026 looks just as grim for Republicans as it did for Democrats in 2024.
Dozens of Republican members of Congress will be vulnerable in the midterms, with at least four dozen seats in play. Despite the global anti-incumbency trend, Democrats came shockingly close to your numbers—just four seats shy of a majority.
Trump isn’t worried. Elon Musk isn’t worried. But you should be. You’ll have to go back to voters and ask for their approval. Don’t let fear of MAGA dictate your approach. If Georgia Governor Brian Kemp or Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger had cowered to MAGA pressure in 2022, they wouldn’t hold the commanding positions they do today.
There’s no way a Democrat will displace Kemp or Raffensperger anytime soon. It will take years—and only if both men make serious missteps—for that to even be possible. They won. And they won with a mandate.
The MAGA movement rallied hard against Governor Brian Kemp and Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger during their 2022 re-election campaigns, furious that both men refused to subvert the Constitution to help a con man deceive the country. Trump endorsed their opponents and tried to oust them in the GOP primaries. Yet, Kemp and Raffensperger defeated the MAGA-backed candidates and went on to win the general election by decisive margins.
Governor Brian Kemp won by a vote difference of 297,000 votes.
Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger won by a vote difference of 352,000 votes.
MAGA world touts Trump’s sub-2-point win in 2024 as a “mandate.” By that logic, what do you call a 10-point victory by Kemp and Raffensperger in a battleground state?
A tsunami seems more accurate. Both men have no reason to doubt their political future. Ever.
Don’t be intimidated by threats from Musk or MAGA claiming they can take you out in a primary. Falling in line will only make it harder for you to win—especially if you’re in purple districts or states. If you’re running in a district that leans GOP by +10 points, feel free to enable the country’s slide toward a banana republic. But if you’re campaigning in a state or district where margins are under 5 points, MAGA and Musk have little real power to harm you.
In fact, lining up behind them is what will end your political career. They have the money and power. You don’t. It will be early retirement. You don’t want to go there.
The 2022 Georgia results prove that standing up for principles can pay off politically. Follow Kemp and Raffensperger’s example: stay quiet, deflect, but hold firm to your values. Doing so not only serves the country but also strengthens your chances of keeping your seat.
Excellent points, all. Thanks for making this case.