“But what will actually propel such a figure into the White House is the transformation of the GOP base.”
The GOP base has NOT ‘transformed’. They were hesitant when Reagan tried Amnesty and outright HATED IT when Bush Jr. tried to do the same, and that was NEARLY 20 YEARS AGO. In between that, they really liked Perot pointing out the damage that Globalism was doing to the country.
What transformed is that the GOP business interests DIVERGED from the GOP base, mainly on immigration, but now going around the world starting wars, and with some of those wars being EXTREMELY DANGEROUS.
And so the GOP Leadership had to choose, do they stick with the business interests that want mass immigration (for cheap labor), Globalism (for cheap products), and wars (for more ‘hardware’ sales), or do they stick with the base.
The GOP Leadership figured that the base was too stupid to realize that the GOP Leadership made the WRONG CHOICE...and now they pay.
” The GOP Leadership figured that the base was too stupid to realize that the GOP Leadership made the WRONG CHOICE...and now they pay. “
After they leave office, the GOP “Leadership” will be employed by GOP business interests, not MAGA voters.
That is the incentive problem which leads to constant betrayal of voters. And it is a feature of “conservative” politicians in every country in the West.