The House of Representatives is currently preparing to send over articles of impeachment to the Senate on Monday morning, and as that takes place, many figureheads in Washington are discreetly lobbying Republican members of Congress to move forward with the impeachment. These efforts to convict Donald Trump are reflective of an intense battle within the Republican party between those who are loyal to the former president and those who would like to break off his affiliation with the party so that he cannot run for President ever again.
Initially, the lobbying began among many members of the House just days after the attack on the Capitol on January 6th, however now they have taken a more singular focus upon Senator Mitch McConnell – the minority leader. Recently, McConnell has been indicating that he is in support of convicting Trump for inciting the insurrection. A faction of GOP congress members share the belief that a successful conviction of Trump is crucial for the future of the Republican party.
However, many others within the party believe that sticking alongside Trump is the only answer. Senator Lindsey Graham is among those that think the prosecution of Donald Trump would mean disaster for the party. While there is perhaps some shared resentment for Trump’s actions on the 6th, many would indicate that Trump’s removal could have lasting consequences. Thus, the fight for the party is on.
The consensus from many within the GOP is that McConnell’s decision on conviction will likely sway others. Thus, as the Senate awaits the articles of impeachment and the beginning of the trial early next week there is a lot that hangs in the balance as GOP members grapple with unity to their President or unity to their party.
