Republicans face some big questions entering 2026 | Jonah Goldberg Dec 31, 2025 Dec 31, 2025 Updated Jan 14, 2026 Facebook Twitter WhatsApp SMS Email Print Copy article link Save "Are the Republicans going the way of the Whigs?" Jonah Goldberg kAmsFC:?8 !C6D:56?E %CF>AVD 7:CDE E6C>[ E9:D BF6DE:@? H2D 2D<65 2 =@E] %96 2?DH6C E96?i }@]k^AmkAmqFE @?6 J62C :?E@ 9:D D64@?5 E6C>[ :EVD H@CE9 C6G:D:E:?8 E96 BF6DE:@? \\ ?@E D@ >F49 3642FD6 E96 2?DH6C :D 5:776C6?E E9:D E:>6[ 3FE 3642FD6 E96 BF6DE:@? :==F>:?2E6D 9@H >F49 @FC A@=:E:4D 92G6 492?865 :? E96 =2DE 564256]k^AmkAm%96 (9:8D H6C6 @?6 @7 E96 EH@ >2;@C p>6C:42? A2CE:6D 7C@> E96 `gb_D E@ E96 >:5\`gd_D] (6V== C6EFC? E@ E96> :? 2 >@>6?E]k^Am kAmp 564256 28@[ E96 4@?G6CD2E:@? 23@FE E96 (9:8D 46?E6C65 @? %CF>A 5:G:5:?8 E96 v~!] #6AF3=:42? A@=:E:4:2?D \\ >@DE ?@E23=J $6?D] |:E49 |4r@??6==[ y@9? |4r2:?[ |:EE #@>?6J[ y677 u=2<6 2?5 q@3 r@C<6C \\ H@F=5 A6C:@5:42==J 567J @C 4C:E:4:K6 E96 %CF>A (9:E6 w@FD6]k^Am People are also reading… Lake Geneva recommends $580,000 bid for street improvements Lake Geneva restaurant owner honored for quick response Lake Geneva BID presents awards during annual meeting Lake Geneva considers speed bumps for slowing down traffic Wisconsin men's hockey lands defenseman hours into transfer portal period Tornado Warning until TUE 9:15 PM CDT Severe Thunderstorm Warning from TUE 7:59 PM CDT until TUE 9:00 PM CDT Madison man arrested after $3.6M in meth found in vehicle by Illinois State Police New documentary explores possibility of serial killer near Omaha Tornado slams Juneau County, large hail hammers southern Wisconsin in second round of storms Tuesday Dodge County sheriff sues woman who claims she was illegally detained Cole Caufield becomes 2nd former Wisconsin player to score 50 goals in an NHL season Cheese shop owner following in family’s 100-year tradition Trump: US Navy will begin Strait of Hormuz blockade after US-Iran ceasefire talks end without agreement Packers linebacker discusses offseason training, goals for 2026 campaign Does either party actually want to win the Senate race in Texas? | Jonah Goldberg One of the worst features of the election primary system in our polarized "red vs. blue" tim… kAm|@C6 C6=6G2?E[ >6>36CD @7 E96 ?@?\|pvp v~! 6DE23=:D9>6?E :? r@?8C6DD[ 2?5 :? E96 (9:E6 w@FD6 :ED6=7[ 4@?DEC2:?65 %CF>A 2?5 @7E6? D92A65 A@=:4J] u@C 6I2>A=6[ E96 a_`f E2I C67@C> H2D =2C86=J 4C27E65 2?5 A2DD65 3J v~! 4@?8C6DD:@?2= =6256CD[ 2?5 92CD9 D2?4E:@?D 282:?DE #FDD:2 H6C6 AFD965 3J >6>36CD @7 E96 25>:?:DEC2E:@?] %CF>AVD A6CD@?2=:EJ 5:G:565 E96 C:89E[ 3FE 9:D A@=:4:6D[ 7@C865 E9C@F89 4@>AC@>:D6 36EH66? |pvp =@J2=:DED 2?5 EC25:E:@?2= #6AF3=:42?D[ F?:7:65 E96>]k^Am kAmp J62C :?E@ E96 D64@?5 %CF>A 25>:?:DEC2E:@?[ E9:?8D =@@< G6CJ 5:776C6?E] }@H 9:D A6CD@?2=:EJ F?:7:6D E96 4@2=:E:@?[ H9:=6 :DDF6D 5:G:56 :E]k^Am kAm%9:D 25>:?:DEC2E:@? :D >@?@=:E9:42==J |pvp \\ A6C92AD ?@E 6?E:C6=J :? :56@=@8:42= E6C>D[ 3FE 2D 2 >2EE6C @7 A6CD@?2= 2?5 A@=:E:42= =@J2=EJ E@ %CF>A] %96 D2>6 =2C86=J 9@=5D 7@C E96 3C@256C ?6EH@C< @7 A@=:E:4:2?D[ 2AA2C2E49:<D 2?5 C:89E\H:?8 Q:?7=F6?46CD]Qk^Am Listen now and subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Stitcher | RSS Feed | SoundStack | All Of Our Podcasts Listen now and subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Stitcher | RSS Feed | SoundStack | All Of Our Podcasts kAm%CF>AVD 2AAC@G2= C2E:?8D 2>@?8 E96 3C@256C AF3=:4 2C6 C6249:?8 9:DE@C:4 =@HD[ 3FE C@F89=J h :? `_ #6AF3=:42?D DE:== 2AAC@G6 @7 9:>] !=658:?8 762=EJ 2?5 DFAA@CE 7@C %CF>A :D 2 C6BF:C6>6?E :? #6AF3=:42? AC:>2C:6D]k^Am kAmqFE @? :DDF6D DF49 2D EC256[ &<C2:?6 2?5 xDC26=[ 23@CE:@? 2?5[ E@ D@>6 6IE6?E[ :>>:8C2E:@? \\ E96 #6AF3=:42? 4@2=:E:@? :D 7C24EFC65 =:<6 2 4C24<65 H:?5D9:6=5] $@>6 DA=:ED 2C6 86?6C2E:@?2= \\ 2D H:E9 xDC26= 2?5 6G6? 2?E:D6>:E:D>] ~E96C 5:G:D:@?D 2C6 5C:G6? 3J ?6H v~! G@E6CD %CF>A 3C@F89E :?E@ E96 4@2=:E:@?] p |2?92EE2? x?DE:EFE6 DFCG6J AF3=:D965 E9:D >@?E9 7@F?5 E92E Q?6H 6?EC2?EDQ E@ E96 v~! 2C6 E9C66 E:>6D >@C6 =:<6=J E@ 36=:6G6 :? G2C:@FD 4@?DA:C24J E96@C:6D WbcTX E92? EC25:E:@?2= @?6D W``TX]k^Am Things are about to get worse for Mike Johnson | Jonah Goldberg Here's a conundrum for Republican politicians going into 2026, and even 2028. What do you do… kAm$@ H92E 5@6D E9:D 92G6 E@ 5@ H:E9 E96 (9:8Dn u@C DE2CE6CD[ E96 (9:8 !2CEJ H2D 7@C>65 E@ @AA@D6 2 %CF>A\=:<6 AC6D:56?E \\ p?5C6H y24<D@?[ 2<2 Qz:?8 p?5C6H %96 u:CDE]Q ~AA@D:E:@? E@ y24<D@?VD Qr26D2C:D>Q F?:E65 2 5:G6CD6 4@2=:E:@? F?56C E96 (9:8 32??6C] (96? y24<D@?VD AC6D:56?4J 6?565 2?5 96 72565 2H2J[ E96 8=F6 9@=5:?8 E96 4@2=:E:@? E@86E96C 5:DD@=G65 2?5 :DDF6D 5:G:565 E96 (9:8D] x D2J Q:DDF6D[Q 3FE C62==J :E H2D ;FDE @?6 :DDF6i D=2G6CJ]k^Am kAm$=2G6CJ 5:G:565 E96 (9:8D :CC6A2C23=J] $@ E96 (9:8D 5:65[ 2?5 E96 ?6H=J >:?E65 #6AF3=:42? !2CEJ E@@< E96:C A=246]k^Am kAmp =6DD@? :D 96C6 7@C 3@E9 A2CE:6D] (96? y24<D@? 5@>:?2E65 A@=:E:4D[ 96 567:?65 s6>@4C2ED 2?5 (9:8D 2=:<6] %96 (9:8D EC:65 E@ A2:?E y24<D@?VD DF446DD@CD 2D H2??236 5:4E2E@CD[ E@@] p?5 s6>@4C2ED H2?E65 E@ EC2?D76C y24<D@?VD 4F=E @7 A6CD@?2=:EJ E@ 9:D s6>@4C2E:4 DF446DD@CD] q@E9 D:56D 72:=65] y24<D@?VD A@=2C:K:?8 BF2=:E:6D H6C6 F?:BF6 E@ 9:>]k^Am kAm%96 @?8@:?8 677@CE @? E96 |pvp C:89E E@ AC6\4@C@?2E6 ':46 !C6D:56?E ys '2?46 2D E96 ?6IE |pvp 2G2E2C 2?5 v~! AC6D:56?E:2= ?@>:?66 C66<D @7 E96 56DA6C2E:@? E92E 4@>6D H:E9 E96 C62=:K2E:@? E92E %CF>AVD A@AF=2C:EJ[ =:<6 y24<D@?VD[ :D ?@E ?2EFC2==J EC2?D76C23=6]k^Am kAmr=2:>D 3J '2?46 ?@EH:E9DE2?5:?8[ %CF>A DF446DD7F==J C6>256 E96 v~! 3J 2AA=J:?8 2 D:?8F=2C QAFC:EJ E6DEQ \\ =@J2=EJ E@ %CF>A] *@F 42? 36 2? 2?E:D6>:E6[ :D@=2E:@?:DE[ ?2E:G:DE \\ @C ?@E \\ :? '2?46VD G:D:@? @7 2 3:8 E6?E] qFE J@F 42?VE 36 D@>6@?6 H9@ 5@6D?VE H2?E E96> :?D:56 E96 E6?E]k^AmkAm(:E9 %CF>A :? E96 ~G2= ~77:46[ E9:D 92D D@>6 A@=:E:42= A@H6C] &?=:<6 :? 9:D 7:CDE E6C>[ DFAA@CE 7@C %CF>A A2A6CD @G6C 566A 5:G:D:@?D @? :DDF6D] (96? 96 8@6D E96 H2J @7 y24<D@?[ E9@D6 5:G:D:@?D H:== C6>2:?]k^Am kAmqFE ;FDE 2D :>A@CE2?E[ @AA@D:E:@? E@ %CF>A >2D<D D:>:=2C 5:G:D:@?D @? E96 =67E] !6C92AD E96 3:886DE 5:G:D:@? 2>@?8 s6>@4C2ED E@52J :D @G6C H96E96C E96 A2CEJVD =6256CD 2C6 QC6D:DE:?8Q %CF>A DF77:4:6?E=J]k^Am kAm}@ D:?8=6 :DDF6 5:G:56D p>6C:42?D E96 H2J D=2G6CJ 5:5 :? E96 `gd_D \\ 2?5 E92EVD 2 8@@5 E9:?8 kDA2? 4=2DDlQAC:?E0EC:>QmWF?=:<6 D@>6 |pvp 9@E9625D[ xV5 =:<6 E@ 2G@:5 2 4:G:= H2CXk^DA2?m] p=D@[ ?6:E96C A2CEJ :D A@:D65 E@ 8@ E96 H2J @7 E96 (9:8D[ :? A2CE 3642FD6 E96 EH@\A2CEJ 5F@A@=J @G6C 6=64E:@? =2HD 2?5 32==@E 2446DD :D 2 9F86 32CC:6C E@ 6?ECJ 7@C E9:C5 A2CE:6D]k^Am kAmqFE 2D a_ae 368:?D[ E96 4@2=:E:@?D @7 3@E9 A2CE:6D =@@< E@@ 7C28:=6 E@ DFCG:G6 E96 A@DE\%CF>A 6C2 :?E24E]k^Am Goldberg is editor-in-chief of The Dispatch: thedispatch.com. Catch the latest in Opinion Get opinion pieces, letters and editorials sent directly to your inbox weekly! Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. Related to this story Trump would rather be feared than be honorable | Jonah Goldberg A famous and successful investor told me a decade ago that "integrity lowers the cost of capital." We were talking about Donald Trump, and thi…
Does either party actually want to win the Senate race in Texas? | Jonah Goldberg One of the worst features of the election primary system in our polarized "red vs. blue" tim…
Things are about to get worse for Mike Johnson | Jonah Goldberg Here's a conundrum for Republican politicians going into 2026, and even 2028. What do you do…
Trump would rather be feared than be honorable | Jonah Goldberg A famous and successful investor told me a decade ago that "integrity lowers the cost of capital." We were talking about Donald Trump, and thi…