GOP lawmakers pondering making sure Trump never runs again: report

According to a report from USA Today, several Republican senators are giving very serious thought to voting for the impeachment of Donald Trump purely because it would keep him from running for office again.

With a Senate trial in the offing -- likely after Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) turns over the reins to incoming Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) -- Republicans are intrigued by the idea of Trump being put in the rearview mirror if they vote to impeach him.

As USA Today reports, "Several senators, including Republicans, have noted that if they vote to convict Trump of inciting last week's attack on Congress, they could then vote to bar him from future public office, effectively nixing another presidential campaign."

Central to the thinking that GOP lawmakers might turn on the president once he is out of office are comments by still-powerful McConnell who has indicated he is open to impeachment.

"I have not made a final decision on how I will vote," McConnell told reporters this week. "and I intend to listen to the legal arguments when they are presented to the Senate."

With 17 Republicans needed for a conviction -- assuming all Democrats vote yes -- the report notes "many Republicans beyond Congress have said it would be a good idea to leave Trump behind, underscoring GOP anxiety over another Trump presidential run in the wake of last week's insurrection by supporters."

You can read more here.