# Is now the time for moderate Republicans to try to retake control of the party? **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [August 15, 2022, 5:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-now-the-time-for-moderate-republicans-to-try-to-retake-control-of-the-party/969704 "2022-08-15T17:36:32Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 9
**Author:** ![Gyrate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gyrate/32/3588_2.png) [@Gyrate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gyrate)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2023, 3:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-now-the-time-for-moderate-republicans-to-try-to-retake-control-of-the-party/969704/161 "2023-06-07T15:45:16Z")
I don’t think there are enough “traditional conservatives” left in the party to make a difference, and even if there were there aren’t even traditional conservatives left in the electorate to support them. The Foxification of the base has done its work. ---
**Author:** ![flurb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/51bf81/32.png) [@flurb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/flurb)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2023, 3:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-now-the-time-for-moderate-republicans-to-try-to-retake-control-of-the-party/969704/162 "2023-06-07T15:53:34Z")
Christie blew it when he decided not to run in 2012 when Republicans were all but begging him to get in the race. I don’t see why he makes any more formidable of an alternative to Trump than Bill Weld or Mark Sanford were in the 2020 primaries. ---
**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2023, 4:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-now-the-time-for-moderate-republicans-to-try-to-retake-control-of-the-party/969704/163 "2023-06-07T16:40:57Z")
By what I’ve read, he’s planning on taking on Trump directly, which none of the other declared candidates have done. They talk behind the scenes of trying to win by going in the « not-Trump » lane and hoping to win that way. Christie has reportedly said there’s only one lane, through Trump, and he’s prepared to take it. Remember, he’s a former federal prosecutor from New Jersey. He single-handedly ended Marco Rubio’s candidature in just one debate in 2016. If he wants to pull out the knives on Trump, he’s the one candidate that I think has the guts and skill to give it a good shot. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2023, 5:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-now-the-time-for-moderate-republicans-to-try-to-retake-control-of-the-party/969704/164 "2023-06-07T17:44:12Z")
> [@Northern\_Piper](#): > > They talk behind the scenes of trying to win by going in the « not-Trump » lane and hoping to win that way. Except DeSantis who prides himself on out-trumping trump. ---
**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2023, 7:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-now-the-time-for-moderate-republicans-to-try-to-retake-control-of-the-party/969704/165 "2023-06-07T19:04:50Z")
True. ---
**Author:** ![Love\_Rhombus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/love_rhombus/32/10694_2.png) [@Love\_Rhombus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Love_Rhombus)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2023, 7:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-now-the-time-for-moderate-republicans-to-try-to-retake-control-of-the-party/969704/166 "2023-06-07T19:32:45Z")
What does Christie do if Trump is a no-show at the debates? Not show also? Show and rant about Trump? ---
**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2023, 12:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-now-the-time-for-moderate-republicans-to-try-to-retake-control-of-the-party/969704/167 "2023-06-08T12:42:37Z")
We got some indication of that yesterday from Christie: > [@](#): > > “A lonely, self-consumed, self-serving mirror hog is not a leader,” Christie said, adding, “The person I am talking about, who is obsessed with the mirror, who never admits a mistake, who never admits a fault, who always finds someone else and something else to blame for whatever goes wrong — but finds every reason to take credit for anything that goes right — is Donald Trump.” > … > “There’s a big argument in our country right now about whether character matters, and we have leaders who have shown us over and over again that not only are they devoid of character, they don’t care.” Christie said. “We can’t dismiss the question of character anymore, everybody. If we do, we get what we deserve, and we will have to own it.” > … > “The reason I’m going after Trump is twofold,” Christie said. “One, he deserves it. And two, it’s the way to win.” > **[Christie goes after Trump in presidential campaign launch, calling him a...](https://apnews.com/article/christie-2024-president-b9949e97e604719c341d652cc62f9d50)** > > Former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie is wasting no time going after Donald Trump while launching his presidential campaign. Christie is calling the former president and current Republican primary front-runner a “lonely, self-consumed, self-serving... ---
**Author:** ![slicedalone](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slicedalone/32/12515_2.png) [@slicedalone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/slicedalone)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2023, 12:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-now-the-time-for-moderate-republicans-to-try-to-retake-control-of-the-party/969704/168 "2023-06-08T12:48:45Z")
> [@Northern\_Piper](#): > > “We can’t dismiss the question of character anymore, everybody. If we do, we get what we deserve, and we will have to own it.” I wonder to what degree Christie is aware of this remark as a self-own? In Bridgegate, he was revealed to the world to be a venal, lying, vindictive, self-righteous, partisan, blustering bully with the popularity within his own state of a case of syphillis, and now he’s running on his good character? Please. ---
**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2023, 12:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-now-the-time-for-moderate-republicans-to-try-to-retake-control-of-the-party/969704/169 "2023-06-08T12:49:21Z")
And from another article: Christie didn’t limit himself to The Donald in his remarks: > [@](#): > > “The grift from this family is breathtaking,” Christie said at a New Hampshire town hall. “It’s breathtaking. [Jared Kushner](https://thehill.com/people/jared-kushner/)and Ivanka Kushner walk out of the White House, and months later get $2 billion from the Saudis.” > … > “You think it’s because he’s some kind of investing genius? Or do you think it’s because he was sitting next to the president of the United States for four years doing favors for the Saudis?” Christie asked on Tuesday. “That’s your money. That’s your money he stole and gave it to his family. You know what that makes us? A banana republic.” [https://thehill.com/homenews/campaign/4038132-christie-targets-ivanka-trump-and-jared-kushner-the-grift-from-this-family-is-breathtaking/](https://thehill.com/homenews/campaign/4038132-christie-targets-ivanka-trump-and-jared-kushner-the-grift-from-this-family-is-breathtaking/) ---
**Author:** ![snowthx](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowthx/32/10660_2.png) [@snowthx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/snowthx)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2023, 1:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-now-the-time-for-moderate-republicans-to-try-to-retake-control-of-the-party/969704/170 "2023-06-08T13:13:34Z")
Whatever you think of Christie and his political record and political positions, it seems he’s the only one so far willing to take off the kid gloves and go toe-to-toe with the former President. I hope he’s successful in what he’s trying to do (derail Trump and shoulder-shake the Republican party), but at the very least it should be entertaining watching the two of them trade barbs. ---
**Author:** ![Akaj](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/akaj/32/145_2.png) [@Akaj](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Akaj)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2023, 1:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-now-the-time-for-moderate-republicans-to-try-to-retake-control-of-the-party/969704/171 "2023-06-08T13:26:10Z")
> [@snowthx](#): > > Whatever you think of Christie and his political record and political positions, it seems he’s the only one so far willing to take off the kid gloves and go toe-to-toe with the former President. I appreciate him making the effort, now that he has virtually nothing left to lose. I’d have appreciated it a lot more if he’d done so in 2016 or 2020, but he was apparently “brainwashed.” Dickhead. ---
**Author:** ![Love\_Rhombus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/love_rhombus/32/10694_2.png) [@Love\_Rhombus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Love_Rhombus)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2023, 11:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-now-the-time-for-moderate-republicans-to-try-to-retake-control-of-the-party/969704/172 "2023-06-18T11:51:52Z")
This may well have been asked before, but if they hold a debate and Trump doesn’t show, should Christie keep going at him? Heck, should anyone else even attend ( yes for “normal” bumps and getting your face out there I’d say) but would it really matter in the greater campaign? ---
**Author:** ![slicedalone](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slicedalone/32/12515_2.png) [@slicedalone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/slicedalone)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2023, 12:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-now-the-time-for-moderate-republicans-to-try-to-retake-control-of-the-party/969704/173 "2023-06-18T12:04:53Z")
None of the other candidates have a realistic plan for beating Trump with the base. They are all running campaigns in two separate lanes 1) in hope of being his VP, which will lead to being President of course if he wins and drops dead, and 1. in hope he’ll drop dead, or drop out of the race before the election. Neither is extremely likely, but either is entirely possible. So lane 1) consists of all the ass-kissers, pseudo-MAGA candidates who are doing him a solid by fracturing the anti-Trump vote, while lane 2) consists of all the Trump antagonists (so far, just Christie and Hutchinson). De Santis is in a lane all to himself, and I can’t see a path for him. If Trump makes it to the nominating convention and to election day, De Santis is toast and if Trump drops dead literally or politically before then, the GOP will coalesce around a better candidate than Dee. ---
**Author:** ![Horatius](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/horatius/32/3572_2.png) [@Horatius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Horatius)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2023, 6:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-now-the-time-for-moderate-republicans-to-try-to-retake-control-of-the-party/969704/174 "2023-06-19T18:06:41Z")
> [@snowthx](#): > > He admits to slight brainwashing in 2016 and 2020, but says he wont make the same mistake this time. What do you think - will Christie be successful in keeping Trump out of the nomination? I think he’ll “make the same mistake” this time, if Trump pulls off a win the primaries. I hope I’m wrong, but I wouldn’t bet that way. ---
**Author:** ![slicedalone](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slicedalone/32/12515_2.png) [@slicedalone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/slicedalone)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2023, 6:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-now-the-time-for-moderate-republicans-to-try-to-retake-control-of-the-party/969704/175 "2023-06-19T18:10:36Z")
What I’m totally not getting is why, having been duped and bamboozled and fooled into thinking Trump was a man of good character (to credit Christie very generously with having good motives himself), now Christie is not permanently disqualified from leadership positions? Do we want people leading us who are this deficient in judgment so as to mistake a petty despotic moron for a noble and wise leader? To me, it’s an instant DQ. ---
**Author:** ![Horatius](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/horatius/32/3572_2.png) [@Horatius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Horatius)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2023, 6:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-now-the-time-for-moderate-republicans-to-try-to-retake-control-of-the-party/969704/176 "2023-06-19T18:11:58Z")
> [@Love\_Rhombus](#): > > This may well have been asked before, but if they hold a debate and Trump doesn’t show, should Christie keep going at him? That’d be easy. Every topic, he just says some variation on, “I’d really like to hear Trump answer that question, but he was too much of a wimp to actually show up here tonight!” ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2023, 7:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-now-the-time-for-moderate-republicans-to-try-to-retake-control-of-the-party/969704/177 "2023-06-19T19:14:18Z")
> [@slicedalone](#): > > What I’m totally not getting is why, having been duped and bamboozled and fooled into thinking Trump was a man of good character Frankly, I doubt that many GOP politicians, other than those who have drunk deeply of the MAGA juice, believe that Trump ever was “a man of good character” – I think that they realize that he has power and a great deal of influence thanks to his base, but that he is an utterly self-serving, immoral asshole. It’s just that Christie (and others) who have worked with Trump simply want access to, and participation in, that power. ---
**Author:** ![SwissMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e79b87/32.png) [@SwissMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SwissMan)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2023, 7:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-now-the-time-for-moderate-republicans-to-try-to-retake-control-of-the-party/969704/178 "2023-06-19T19:18:21Z")
> [@slicedalone](#): > > What I’m totally not getting is why, having been duped and bamboozled and fooled into thinking Trump was a man of good character Christie was not duped or bamboozled; he has known all along exactly who and what Trump is. He supported Trump in 2016 because he believed that it was his ticket to becoming Attorney General. I cannot begin to explain what Christie’s rationale for supporting Trump in 2020 was, considering he had already been screwed over once, then witnessed the mountain of nonsense that had ensued over the following 3+ years. The only thing that I can come up with is that the guy is an insufferable suck-up to anybody who has a modicum of power (or who can introduce him to Bruce Springsteen). I would like to think he will continue these attacks against Trump even when he (Christie) inevitably loses the nomination, assuming Trump wins it. But I am not holding my breath on it. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2023, 7:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-now-the-time-for-moderate-republicans-to-try-to-retake-control-of-the-party/969704/179 "2023-06-19T19:26:04Z")
When it comes holding power in the Republican Party, Moderate Republicans have as much of a chance as Log Cabin Republicans. ---
**Author:** ![FlikTheBlue](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fliktheblue/32/10972_2.png) [@FlikTheBlue](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FlikTheBlue)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2023, 7:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-now-the-time-for-moderate-republicans-to-try-to-retake-control-of-the-party/969704/180 "2023-06-19T19:42:07Z")
IMHO the fundumantel problem with the idea is that we don’t have a normal “bell curve” style distribution of voters. Since I don’t know how to link a graphic, I’ll describe what I think is the problem. Let’s say 0 is the far left (Bernie Sanders, AOC, Ilhan Omar, whoever you think is the furthest left) and 100 is the far right (Ron DeSantis, Trump, Boebert, Jim Jordan, whoever you would describe as the furthest right). I think we have one hump at around 35 or so (Biden, Obama, the Clintons, the typical Democratic congressperson). There’s very few people at 50 through 85 or so (Joe Manchin, Kyrsten Sinema, John Kasich, Larry Hogan, Arnold Schwarzenegger - Republicans in this range are mostly former rather than current office holders). Then we get into the typical Republicans between 85 and 100. In other words the tail on the right is wagging the dog because the tail is really huge compared to the rest of the dog. When it’s a numbers game, how are the very small number of people between the 50th and 85th percentile going to take back power from the huge numbers between the 85th and 100th percentile? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-now-the-time-for-moderate-republicans-to-try-to-retake-control-of-the-party/969704.md?page=8) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-now-the-time-for-moderate-republicans-to-try-to-retake-control-of-the-party/969704.md?page=10)