'Case studies in delusion': GOP pollster buries formerly Trump-skeptical Republicans

Republican pollster Sarah Longwell on Friday morning found herself incredulous that Republicans who were highly skeptical of former President Donald Trump are now expressing dismay that he's hanging out with hardcore racists such as Laura Loomer.

Writing on X, Longwell slammed some of her former political allies who seemingly believe that they can manipulate Trump away from embracing far-right extremists despite the fact that he has made a habit of doing so for nearly a decade now.

"People who are clutching their pearls over Trump hanging out with conspiracy theorist lunatic Laura Loomer are cracking me up," she wrote. "Guys, Trump is the chief lunatic conspiracy theorist. He’s not 'being influenced,' he’s just hanging out with people who think the same way he does."

She then added that all of the signs that Trump would behave this way have been evident for a long time and that anyone who still believes otherwise is fooling themselves.

ALSO READ: 'Very unnerving': Trump debate stand-in says ex-president's health is 'clearly diminished'

"The conservatives who were skeptical of Trump in 2016 but are all-in in 2024 are the wildest case-studies in self-delusion," she explained. "At least in 2016 Trump was going to be surrounded by normalish Republicans. Now it’s post-insurrection Trump surrounded by thousands of Laura Loomers."

Multiple Republican lawmakers this week, ranging from Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) to Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA), cautioned Trump against embracing Loomer, who has a long history of making overtly racist social media posts and hanging out with extremists such as neo-Nazi influencer Nick Fuentes.

So far, however, Trump has given no indication that he is considering throwing Loomer under the bus.