Republicans Can Be Right, Or They Can Be Happy

When I was an argumentative young man, my father would sometimes ask me if I wanted to be right or happy. I don’t know where he picked up this bit of pop psychology, but in my case, it was on point. Happiness often requires letting things go; and eventually the lesson took, at least a little. A lot of battles just aren’t worth fighting, even if you’re right (which I sometimes was, even as a teenager).

Following the disappointing midterm results, Republican voters may need to contemplate the same lesson. Outside of Florida, where Gov. Ron Desantis led the GOP in a rout of the Democrats, the party largely fell short of expectations. The red wave that seemed inevitable given Biden’s unpopularity and the decaying state of the nation was barely a splash. Republicans need to figure out what went wrong and how to fix it.

While the data are still coming in, the predictions of the most ideological Democrats that a backlash to the overturning of Roe vs. Wade would save them do not seem born out. Democrats haven’t won, they’ve just lost less than expected. Additionally, the results don’t fit a pattern of pro-life Republicans being punished by voters across the board. Rather, the significant ticket-splitting, from Georgia to New Hampshire to Ohio, points us in the right direction and highlights what Republicans need to let go of in order to have the happiness of political victory.

In particular, competent and conservative Republican governors did well; culture war issues often even helped them. In contrast, celebrity candidates and those hailing from the louder parts of the MAGA wing of the GOP struggled. This suggests that the voters who decided these races are sick of the circus and its ringmaster, former president Donald Trump.

Part of the Republican base longs for Trump’s return, dreaming of a triumphant 2024 run (which he keeps teasing). It would be a vindication for Trump, and for them. Many of them believe, or half-believe, that he won last time, only to have the election stolen from him.

But if they want to enjoy winning again, and the exercise of political power to protect their interests and advance their ideal of the nation, they should look elsewhere. Specifically, they should look to Florida, where DeSantis is seemingly gearing up for a run of his own. The governor can contrast the crushing margin of his victory with the bellyflops of many of Trump’s preferred candidates.

Naturally, Trump has already begun taking shots at his presumptive rival — and a bevy of other Republicans who have displeased him. But his wrath may longer cow Republicans into compliance, not after this midterm debacle.

There are many reasons why Republicans may want someone other than Trump at the helm, but the most compelling are doubts about his ability to win, and his ability to govern competently if he does. Notably, Trump’s continued focus on 2020 diminishes him on both points. Dwelling on an election he lost makes him look

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