Of the 67 United States Senate votes needed to convict US President Donald Trump in his impeachment trial on inciting rioters at the US Capitol on Jan. 6, where five people were killed, 57 senators on Feb. 13 voted to convict Trump, while 43 voted against. As a result, Trump is not only the first American president to be impeached twice, but also the first American president twice to be exonerated for violating laws on which he was impeached.
Trump’s legal victory in the impeachment trial is bound to vindicate him politically among his supporters and within the Republican party. But not without costs.
Within the GOP, a tug of war is being waged between, on the one hand, those Republican leaders who would like to run for the presidency in the future, and on the other hand, the party base, which Trump transformed into loyalists during his four years in office.
After the Senate acquitted Trump, the former president issued a statement for supporters suggesting he was looking forward to an incredible journey with them, which he planned to unfold in the coming weeks. This clearly suggests Trump is not going into retirement anytime soon.
Many political pundits suggest Trump will use his sway within the party to help Republican candidates in the 2022 mid-term congressional and Senate races. If Trump can change the narrow balance of power in Washington by helping Republicans recapture seats in the House and Senate during the 2022 mid-term elections, then he could have a good chance of recapturing the Republican Party presidential nomination in the 2024 race. That remains a big if, as Trump’s track record of success in helping Republicans win office has been rather mixed.
However, if the Trump brand is on the ballot in friendly states then that could peak the former president’s motivation to extend not only his but also his family’s political legacy.
Two potential candidates that have been at the center of speculation are Trump’s daughter Ivanka and daughter-in-law Lara. The first has her eye on running for a Senate seat in Florida, while the latter is being courted for a Senate seat in North Carolina. For sure, the Trump brand in these two states is not only well-known, but well-positioned. Moreover, if Trump’s political capital can be converted into helping two family members win public office, it will solidify his control within the GOP and open up new political opportunities for the 74-year-old former president.
Myron Wasylyk is the director for international cooperation at Growford Institute.
