Cable News Clips

there were some in the Republican leadership who wanted a brokered convention instead of Trump. But because Trump was so wildly popular with the 80% of the Republican base who are authoritarians the Republicans knew that they could not win without him. So they put party before country and chose an authoritarian Strong Leader who was not committed to democracy. Amazingly some Republican leaders, those who could personally afford to, Bushes, Cheneys, Romney still refused to support Trump.
After the failed coup attempt Trump's popularity temporarily dropped there were a few Republican politicians who tried to shift away from Trump. But Trump's popularity rose when he wasn't held personally responsible and those politicians dove for cover.

I think that some Republican leaders like Michael Steele realize that for a democracy to be functional there must be at least two viable parties, and they hope to steer the Republican party away from authoritarianism and become again a viable partner in democracy.

Personally, I think that when the Republican party chose an authoritarian Strong Leader who was not committed to democracy as their candidate, and then that candidate won the election, the Republican party died as a viable political party in a democracy.