Brazile says GOP may never be ‘mainstream’ again

by Olafimihan Oshin - 08/13/23 6:13 PM ET

Former Democratic National Committee (DNC) chairwoman Donna Brazile said Sunday that the GOP might not be a “mainstream” party again.

Brazile made the remark during an appearance on ABC’s “This Week,” when co-anchor Jonathan Karl asked program’s “Powerhouse Roundtable” panel about former President Trump’s impact at the Iowa State Fair this weekend.

“Yes. You know, Donald Trump took on the Republican establishment in 2016. And I don’t think the establishment — and maybe you know better since you understand the Republican establishment — they haven’t been able to really get their sea legs back,” Brazile told Karl. “I don’t know if the Republican Party will ever be a, quote-unquote, a mainstream party again like it was before, when you understood conservatism, conservative values.”

Brazile, who is now an ABC News contributor, also said that the former president is running his reelection campaign “on a platform of retribution,” noting Trump’s ongoing legal issues.

“But now you have an indicted defendant out on bail who is leading the party, who is basically running on a platform of retribution, and that is going to define not just the presidential race, but I think all of the down-ballot races as well,” Brazile added.

This comes as Trump was the main star attraction at the Iowa State Fair, though the GOP front-runner is facing a slew of legal battles and federal investigations against him.

Trump was recently indicted by a Washington, D.C., grand jury on four charges stemming from his efforts to overturn the results of the 2020 election, which he lost to President Biden.

Special counsel Jack Smith’s 45-page indictment accuses Trump of trying to conduct a campaign to block the transfer of power. Smith alleged Trump was the director of a conspiracy to defraud the U.S. and played a central role in an attempt to block the certification of votes on Jan. 6, 2021.

Trump is also expected to be indicted in Georgia for his efforts to overturn the 2020 election results in the state; Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis is expected to present her case against Trump to a grand jury early this week.