Today Joe Walsh announced he’s going to primary President Trump for the GOP nomination. Walsh wasn’t on my radar in 2010, but if he had been I would have hated him. He was a canary in the coal mine for where the Republican Party was headed, which culminated in Trump’s election
in 2016 and the full capitulation of the GOP that followed. I’ve worried for a long time that there might be no way back for the Republican Party or the conservative movement. Trump has laid bare a rot in the party that many didn’t see. I didn’t see. But it gives me some measure
of hope to see @WalshFreedom stand up to challenge Trump. Because while I don’t think the things he’s said in the past can just be wiped away by an apology (by a long shot), he represents what a path forward is going to have to look like for many conservatives.
There must be a moment when the spell breaks. The rationalizations stop. And there is a clear-eyed reckoning with who we’ve become and what has been tolerated. Joe Walsh has had such a reckoning. He’s apologized. Accepted responsibility for his words, his role electing Trump.
He has repudiated his past words and actions. And now he’s trying to do what he can to fight back. It might not be enough to undo the damage or forgive completely. But if he continues to demonstrate that his apologies are sincere, it seems like he is worthy of consideration.
Because what Joe Walsh is doing is what we hope every Trump supporter will do, right? Say that their support or even silent toleration of Trump’s racism, incompetence, and bullying was wrong and make an affirmative decision to refuse to allow it to go any further.
I appreciate those who are willing to challenge this President, imperfect though they may be, because the fact is, very few have been willing to do so. Even those who know it’s necessary and the right thing to do.
Both @GovBillWeld and @WalshFreedom face overwhelming odds. But they deserve respect for being willing to stand up and take on President Trump directly. Joe Walsh will have to earn true forgiveness for his past words.
But I for one am willing to give him a chance to do that and not discount him out of hand. And running against Trump in the Republican primary is a pretty good way to demonstrate his conviction. JoeWalsh.org.
Share this Scrolly Tale with your friends.
A Scrolly Tale is a new way to read Twitter threads with a more visually immersive experience.
Discover more beautiful Scrolly Tales like this.