Trump's last step toward a total MAGA Republican party
The Trumpification of the Republican Party is now complete.
Why it matters: Come November, every powerful GOP leader will have been picked by Trump or spent the election cycle publicly kissing the ring.
Driving the news: After a brief break in Trump's reign after the 2020 election, the chips are once again falling in favor of the former president as he inches closer to the GOP presidential nomination.
- Mitch McConnell was the last domino to fall. His decision to step aside as Senate GOP leader in November sets the stage for a Trump-approved successor.
- The three likeliest GOP successors — GOP Sens. John Barrasso (R-Wyo.), John Cornyn (R-Texas) and John Thune (R-S.D.) — have already endorsed Trump.
- "I think it'll be great, because I think Trump will win, we have a leader who can work well with the next Republican president," said Sen. J.D. Vance (R-Ohio), a Trump ally, after McConnell's announcement.
Zoom in: House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) is Trump-approved and endorsed Trump almost immediately after taking the speaker gavel in October.
- The Republican National Committee is poised to be taken over by Trump loyalists he hand-picked, including his daughter-in-law Lara Trump and top campaign official Chris LaCivita.
State of play: Trump won almost 70% of the vote in the key swing state of Michigan on Tuesday night, following his dominant victory in Haley's home state of South Carolina on Saturday.
- He's dominated every early GOP primary contest.
- Most of Trump's onetime presidential rivals have also fallen behind him as they battle for the coveted running mate position — and prove that they are the most loyal.
The bottom line: Two of Trump's savviest GOP critics laid out the new reality in the last 24 hours.
- Haley conceded yesterday that it's "very possible" that the party is changing toward the former president.
- In a Senate speech today, McConnell said he knows "the politics within my party at this particular moment in time."
- "I have many faults. Misunderstanding politics is not one of them," McConnell said.
Go deeper: McConnell replacement race kicks off earlier than expected