Immune From Trump Retribution, Republicans May Now be Willing to Defy Trump.

by Rod Williams, May 22, 2026 - Finally! To put it crudely, it looks like Republicans are growing a pair. It is too early to know if it will stick, but Republicans seem ready to defy Trump. Ever since the start of Trump's second term, Republicans have rolled over and played dead. They have acted like puppy dogs yearning for that pat on the head. They have accepted massive corruption and trampling of the Constitution and policies that were anathema to long-held Republican values. It looks like establishing a $1.8 billion slush fund to reward violent January 6th insurrectionists and other Trump allies who will break the law on his behalf is a bridge too far. 

Trump just showed his power and his continued iron grip on the party on Tuesday, when senators Cassidy and Massie, two incumbent Republican senators who had dared cross Trump, were denied their party's nomination. Also on Tuesday, Trump endorsed Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton over incumbent Sen. John Cornyn who had also proved insufficiently subservient to Trump.  Earlier in May, five of seven Republican state senators in Indiana who had opposed President Trump’s redistricting plan for that state were defeated by Trump-backed challengers. The message was clear: Cross Trump and he will crush you. 

So, Trump proved he can crush those who dare vote against him or question him. However, there are seven months left before these defeated senators leave office, and now they have nothing to lose. They are free to do the right thing. Maybe freedom is another word for nothing left to lose.  If a Senator wants to vote contrary to Trump's wishes or ask hard questions in committee, Trump is powerless to punish them. The filing deadline has passed for primary challengers to run against the incumbent. 

With Cassidy, and Massie, and more likely than not Cornyn, occupying their seat for seven more months after Trump defeated them in their primary, they are not going to be inclined to be too compliant with Trump's desires.   In addition to Cassidy, Massie, and probably Cornyn, who have nothing left to lose and with no love lost for Trump, you have Sens. Thom Tillis, R-N.C., Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, Susan Collins, R-Maine, and Rand Paul, R-KY, who are always of questionable blind loyalty to Trump.

With Trump a lame duck, aggrieved senators in office, and other senators now immune to Trump retribution, maybe the Senate will now do the right thing. Maybe we have turned a corner. 

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