According to a report from Bloomberg, Republican Party campaign consultants and other GOP insiders are holding their collective breath over Donald Trump's upcoming rallies hoping he won't make their jobs harder -- if not impossible -- as they eye the 2022 midterm election.
With the former president attempting to keep himself in the public eye -- and keep the door open for another possible run for office -- a series of rallies and speeches are being scheduled and that has Republicans nervous.
The report notes that Trump left office attacking fellow GOP lawmakers for a variety of what he feels were sleights -- including not working harder to overturn the 2020 election results -- and there is a legitimate fear that he will use his rallies to keep attacking his own party and create chaos.
According to Bloomberg's Mark Niquette, "Donald Trump will be back on stage this month with one mission at the top of his agenda -- seeking revenge against Republican incumbents who turned on him by backing their challengers in 2022 primaries," adding, "That worries some GOP leaders. As the former president prepares to resume his trademark rallies, they fear another round of grievances about the 2020 election results and championing untested candidates over incumbents could hurt the party more than it helps in next year's midterm elections."
With the president planning rallies in Ohio, Alabama, Georgia and Florida, Republicans fear he may spend more time haranguing his own party than setting the stage for taking on the Democratic Party and reclaiming both chambers of Congress.
"Trump's campaign against Republican incumbents could end with a slate of candidates who are weaker than an entrenched incumbent in a general-election matchup with a Democrat in the fall, diverting resources from other competitive races in 2022," the report states. "Republicans need to flip only one seat in the Senate and five in the House to regain control and stymie Biden's agenda for the remainder of his term."
According to Scott Reed, former chief political strategist for the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, Trump could make the GOP's election prospect a lot more difficult.
"Politics is about the future, and as long as Trump looks forward and is focused on helping nominate candidates that can win in the fall, it's a good use of time and it's good for the party," he explained. "If it just becomes a forum for re-litigating the past loss, it'll have a negative impact on the party."
Doug Heye, a former Republican National Committee communications director, echoed those comments.
"What Donald Trump is saying is that he is not going to allow Republicans to do anything but look back, and that is something that will gum up the works potentially for 2022," he remarked.
GOP donor Dan Eberhart also expressed dismay in anticipation over what the unpredictable Trump may do.
"Republicans absolutely should be concerned that the Trump rallies will be problematic, depending on the outcome," he lamented. "I just worry that attacking other Republicans at this point in the cycle just has no benefit."
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