Joe Walsh's Trump primary bid is a bet fellow Republicans secretly agree Trump is 'nuts' and bad at his job
Former Rep. Joe Walsh (R-Ill.), now a conservative talk radio host, announced Sunday that he's challenging President Trump for the 2020 Republican nomination. People are skeptical of his motives but mostly his chances — New York Magazine called it a "beyond-long-shot primary bid," a "quixotic mission" undertaken with "Bill Kristol, a onetime mighty Republican figure who has become an avatar of GOP Establishment impotence in the face of Trump's party takeover." Another prominent #NeverTrump conservative, George Conway, is also on board, figuratively if not officially.
Trump's campaign doesn't seem very concerned about Walsh's bid. "Whatever," communications director Tim Murtaugh told ABC News.
Walsh told ABC News his campaign's big gamble "is that there are a lot of Republicans who feel like I do," that Trump is "nuts, he's erratic, he's cruel, he stokes bigotry, he's incompetent," and "he's a child," and they're also "sick of this guy's tantrum." He added that he thinks his campaign "will catch on like wildfire." "And if you're wrong?" host George Stephanopoulos asked. "If I'm wrong, it was the right fight, because somebody had to do this."
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Journalist Kurt Eichenwald put it this way:
It's true that Walsh "possesses the conservative bona fides" and grit Trump's other GOP challenger, former Gov. William Weld (Mass.), lacks, and "some previous primary candidates have found some success against weak incumbents; think Ronald Reagan in 1976 or Pat Buchanan in 1992," New York adds. "The problem for Walsh — or any other conservative challenger — is that Trump remains extremely popular with GOP voters." Walsh bets the polls are wrong — an idea Trump supporters, at least, can respect.
Create an account with the same email registered to your subscription to unlock access.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Peter has worked as a news and culture writer and editor at The Week since the site's launch in 2008. He covers politics, world affairs, religion and cultural currents. His journalism career began as a copy editor at a financial newswire and has included editorial positions at The New York Times Magazine, Facts on File, and Oregon State University.
-
Why are people and elephants fighting in Sri Lanka?
Under The Radar Farmers encroaching into elephant habitats has led to deaths on both sides
By Chas Newkey-Burden, The Week UK Published
-
Indie film's 'very brief' use of AI sparks backlash and calls for boycotts
Talking Points Did the creators of a new horror movie make a deal with the artificial intelligence devil?
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
-
Could Taylor Swift swing the election?
Today's Big Question The pop star has outsized influence — and that extends beyond the music industry
By Anya Jaremko-Greenwold Published
-
New Jersey first lady exits race to replace Menendez
Speed Read Tammy Murphy dropping out paves the way for Rep. Andy Kim to become the state's next senator
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Russia blames Ukraine for deadly ISIS Moscow attack
Speed Read Putin has ignored the Islamic State's claim of responsibility for the concert hall shooting
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Trump-RNC pact puts Trump legal bills ahead of GOP
Speed Read The former president has struck a deal with the Republican National Committee to put donations toward his legal bills
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Vietnam president resigns amid scandal
Speed Read Vietnam loses its second president in two years as Vo Van Thuong steps down
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Texas migrant law in limbo after Supreme Court OK
Speed Read The law has been blocked again, mere hours after the Supreme Court allowed the state to arrest migrants
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Cubans rally for 'power and food' in rare protests
Speed Read The protests came after 18-hour rolling blackouts and food supply shortages
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Why Trump cannot raise bond to avert asset seizure
speed read If the former president does not post the $454M bond in his civil fraud case by Monday, his assets can be seized
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Putin's preordained win marred by protests
speed read Voters participated in a silent protest — endorsed by late opposition leader Alexei Navalny — against the president
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published