‘NeverTrumpers’ feud with WaPo columnist over supporting DeSantis to stop Trump

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Washington Post columnist Megan McArdle faced backlash on Monday from former Lincoln Project adviser Tom Nichols for criticizing "NeverTrumpers" for refusing to get rid of former President Trump by supporting Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis.

McArdle began by retweeting a comment from pollster Patrick Ruffini who said, "Bulwark types should be rooting for DeSantis, who objectively gives them their best chance to achieve their stated goal of loosening Trump's grip on the GOP!" Ruffini's tweet was in response to a tweet from Bill Kristol touting a Bulwark article where their focus group of Florida voters mostly bashed DeSantis. 

McArdle expanded on Ruffini’s comments on what should be the Never Trumpers’ practical plan.

"Roughly, NeverTrumpers are now divided into three camps: those who feel they never really knew the [Republican] party, and now want nothing to do with it; those who want to reconstruct the old party; and those who just want Trump gone. Suspect the 3rd group has the most practical plan," McArdle tweeted.

Eyes are on Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and former President Trump when thinking about the 2024 presidential election.  (Photographer: Al Drago/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

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Bulwark writer and former Republican campaign consultant Tim Miller argued back, "The people who want Trump to magically disappear have a more practical plan than the people who want to align with Joe Biden and the practical wing of the Democratic Party? What is the 3rd groups plan exactly?"

After Miller’s comment, Nichols jumped into the conversation mocking the idea of supporting DeSantis. 

"I see the ‘Never Trumpers should support DeSantis’ chants are beginning again. Must be the season for it," Nichols tweeted.

Although the Lincoln Project has been referred to as a group of Republicans, members of the group have frequently attacked Republican candidates, particularly DeSantis. In 2021, they released what was criticized by some as a "psychotic" ad against DeSantis for opposing mask mandates in his state, claiming that the governor wanted to "sacrifice children" for his politics.

The Lincoln Project's main target has always been for President Trump. / AFP PHOTO / SAUL LOEB        (Photo credit should read SAUL LOEB/AFP via Getty Images) (Getty Images/Photo Illustration)

McArdle pushed back against Nichols after his comment.

"I'm not saying that. I'm just saying that the old party is gone and it's not coming back, because the basically socially liberal and economically conservative faction is the smallest quadrant of American politics," McArdle tweeted.

Nichols responded, "I think that’s right. But I think the Republicans who argue for supporting DeSantis are just flailing about trying to find some reason not to do the obvious thing to prevent this new GOP from gaining power."

"I think people have sincere reasons for supporting DeSantis over a Democrat, many of which are quite reasonable," McArdle wrote.

"You can't get DeSantis without the new GOP. I'd rather they just admit they're comfortable with what the GOP has become and that they prefer it. It would be more honest than ‘I'm only trying to stop Trump.’ There's an easier way to stop Trump than choosing a mini-Trump," Nichols tweeted.

Nichols left his position as an adviser for the Lincoln Project in 2021 after the PAC was bombarded with allegations that one of its co-founders sexually harassed young men. Since then, he has continued to tweet controversial statements that appear to mock regular Americans for concerns such as high gas prices and inflation.

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The Lincoln Project has frequently attacked and campaigned against Republican candidates such as Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin. (REUTERS/Jonathan Ernst)

While admitting to voting for Biden, McArdle tweeted, "In the future, I'll decide which candidate to vote for based on who I think is more competent, and which lunatics they are likely to pander to in office. But that's case by case, not some strategy to punish the GOP until they do what I want. They're not gonna."

Nichols continued to question McArdle’s criticism of Never Trumpers for opposing other Republican candidates. 

"Honest question: What's wrong with electorally punishing a party that has - as in institution, not with some handful of fringe candidates - abandoned the Constitution? Isn't punishing every candidate of the party the way to force internal change in a party?" Nichols asked.

McArdle responded with a thread that claimed while that theory could have worked "thirty years ago," the strategy has to change with regards to Trump.

"I think that was a better theory thirty years ago, when the parties were less polarized, and--importantly!--when the leaders actually cared about holding power. Trump cares much less about having senate and house majorities, or even the presidency, then he does about saving face," she tweeted.

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"Voting Democrats in instead protects the country from him, which is important! But ironically, it ensures that the only people in the party with any power are in ultra-red districts where they probably have to at least stay silent, if not voice support for Trump and his lies," McArdle continued. "As a blocking strategy it's great. But I think it might actually make Republicans more, not less, Trumpy."