WSJ smacks GOP for attempting to purge members who didn't support Trump

In the lead opinion piece for the Wall Street Journal, the editorial board of the conservative news outlet served warning to the Republican Party that attempts to purge members who didn't wholeheartedly support former President Donald Trump will guarantee they remain the minority party for years to come.

Focusing on the successful effort of the Arizona GOP to censure popular Cindy McCain, Gov. Doug Ducey and ex-Senator Jeff Flake -- Republicans all -- the editors wrote that the resolution will have little impact other than to inflame an intra-party war.

"Sensible parties that lose elections try to reunite in opposition even while they debate policy differences and examine why they lost. They don't excommunicate people who could help rebuild a majority. Mr. Flake and Ms. McCain found Mr. Trump's behavior as President unacceptable, but they were hardly alone. Mr. Trump didn't lose because Republicans betrayed him," the editors wrote before admitting, "He lost because he alienated too many voters in Wisconsin, Georgia, Pennsylvania, Michigan and Arizona who liked his policies but disliked his tumultuous leadership."

Calling the attack on Gov. Ducey "bizarre," the editorial stated that Ducey could be a viable candidate one day for one of Arizona's two U.S. Senate seats, but may decide he wants no party that turns on his own.

Additionally, the WSJ editorial board pointed out that slavish devotion by the GOP to Trump is a huge mistake as he has damaged the Republican Party and will likely do even more as he attempts to manipulate the party's future while whiling his time away on Florida.

"If Mr. Trump seeks revenge against anyone who voted to impeach him, or anyone who accepts Mr. Biden's victory, he will split the party even if he doesn't run for office again himself. If he forms a third party, he won't win. But he would all but guarantee that Democrats keep the House and Senate in 2022 and the White House in 2024," the board warned before lecturing, "If Republicans want to keep losing elections, they'll keep fighting over 2020 and Donald Trump instead of looking to the future."

You can read the whole piece here (subscription required).