President Donald J. Trump’s use of the primary to remove his opponents from political office was singularly successful this past primary season. In the past, the tactic was not always successful. President Franklin D. Roosevelt, much to his later chagrin, attempted the same tactic in 1938 to remove conservative Southern Democrats who began to oppose what they viewed as the New Deal’s encroachment upon states’ rights. Prominent among this group was Senator Millard Tydings of Maryland, a close ally of Virginia Senators Carter Glass and Harry Byrd, whose removal Roosevelt so desired that he actively campaigned against him in the state. The strategy backfired gloriously. The rural districts turned out for Tydings in the primary; Tydings went on to win every Maryland county in the general election, a feat that has never been repeated by a Democrat in Maryland, and all but one of the Roosevelt targeted Southern Democrats won their primaries. The story circulates in Washington D. C. to this day that after the election of 1938, Byrd, Glass, and Tydings visited Roosevelt in the Oval Office and informed him that the New Deal was over.
President Roosevelt was a far more powerful and influential president than Donald J. Trump. He helped construct one of the broadest and deepest political coalitions that sustained Democrat electoral and legislative success for four decades. He had his enemies, but he effectively marginalized them, the Republicans were so overwhelmed by the Roosevelt juggernaut they were derisively referred to as the “Me Too!” party, only the Southern Democrats in his own party offered any effective opposition. Donald Trump’s coalition is much less broad and deep, it shows signs of division just a little more than a year into his presidency as two distinct wings are emerging in the coalition, MAGA who are the forever Trump loyalists and an America First wing disillusioned with what they view as Trump’s betrayal of his campaign promises. How then has Trump succeeded where Roosevelt failed?
Congressman Thomas Massie’s loss in the fourth congressional district primary in Kentucky reveals some of these reasons. In the 1930s, powerful and autonomous state political machines often wielded the most influence in party politics and primary elections. That influence has now shifted to the national party committees and their power to raise funds and distribute these to favored candidates. Additionally, Newt Gingrich, then minority leader of the Republican party in the House, successfully nationalized the midterm elections of 1994 with the Contract with America. As a result of funding and political branding, key primary races began to lose their local character. Massie faced an uphill funding battle as 16 million dollars of out of state money poured into Kentucky was used to advantageous effect to turn out voters in the baby boomer demographic most attached to Trump. In 1938, Roosevelt attempted to make the New Deal the primary issue in the Southern primaries and failed, Trump has made personal loyalty to himself the chief issue in the primaries in which he actively campaigned and has enjoyed a string of important successes. Popular as he was, Rossevelt was perceived as a meddling outsider by many Maryland Democrats, the nationalization of today’s local and state politics makes such a perspective antiquated. Trump’s demand for absolute personal loyalty from Republicans allowed him to paint such disparate figures as Massie, Senator John Cornyn, and Senator Bill Cassidy as RINOs, losers, and the worst possible members of Congress in the nation’s history. In Massie’s case, this mischaracterization was rich as he voted with the administration more than 90% of the time. Trump has absorbed a lesson from the Left, the personal is political, as former and current stalwart allies, former Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene, Representative Lauren Boebert, Tucker Carlson, and others have found out.
Trump’s team cooperated in portraying Senators Cornyn and Cassidy as insiders, members of a political establishment that many American voters view as corrupt. The depiction was accurate, but Massie had a different vulnerability. Daniel McCarthy in separate pieces in the Compact, the Spectator, and the American Conservative opined that Massie’s political downfall was Massie’s fault (though it may be a tad early to write the obituary for Massie’s political career). Massie did not play ball, he did not use his vote to wring concessions on the Big Beautiful Bill, and he did not align with Republican primary voters on issues such as the deficit, Israel, and the Epstein files. There is merit to McCarthy’s analysis, but it does not go nearly far enough. The issue is not Republican primary voters, but which Republican primary voters. Generational analysis suggests that Massie did very well among Gen Z, Millennial, and even Gen X voters, but was smoked by the Baby Boomers who turned out in impressive numbers. Anecdotal evidence from election day interviews suggests that many of these Boomer voters cast their vote for Massie’s opponent based upon misinformation, an example being that Massie voted for Trump’s impeachment, or intense personal loyalty to Trump. It seems odd that McCarthy would dismiss the role of money in this election as it is crucial in branding, getting one’s messaging in front of people, and funding an effective campaign and ground game. Massie’s opponents knew which demographic to target and with what message, and they did their work well.
McCarthy’s focus on Massie’s stand on the issues provides us with more fertile ground for analysis. Roosevelt’s opponents on the 1938 primary were all establishment men. Both Massie’s friends and his enemies will agree that Massie is not. Massie is a political maverick and his defeat echoes that of American history’s most famous and formidable political maverick, John Randolph of Roanoke. Of course, the two men can hardly be any more different. Massie is a genial and happy warrior; Randolph was mercurial, aristocratic, and ardent in his loves and hates. Massie is an able parliamentarian, at times Randolph was the master of the House of Representatives and the Senate, tying Jefferson’s second administration into knots and bringing the John Quincy Adams administration to its knees during his time in the Senate. As members of Congress, both were animated primarily by principle and thus able to make alliances across the aisle, Massie on the release of the Epstein files and Randolph on his opposition to the War of 1812. Be they gadflies, or if one prefers the conscience of the Congress, they most often lost their political battles. Randolph went down to defeat in the election of 1812 opposing a war that was, for a brief time, popular in Virginia. Massie went down to defeat because he opposed on a few occasions a president wildly popular with the demographic who turns out to vote in the largest numbers in Republican primaries.
Though 1812, 1938, and the present times are unalike in so many ways, there are some interesting lessons to be drawn from the events discussed above. First, men of principle do not often fare well in politics, they walk a lonely road, and one suspects that if the Republicans had spent enough money and turned out enough voters that their attempts to “primary” Congressmen Ron Paul of Texas and Walter Jones of North Carolina back in the day may have met with success. Perhaps the lesson of 1938 was that powerful Senators with the backing of well-oiled state machines could defy a popular and powerful president, but the nationalization of elections and campaign funding has made such things a historical curiosity. While Mr. Trump may enjoy his “scalp dance” around the primary pole, the generational numbers may be cause for concern for Republicans able to look down the road. Support for fiscal irresponsibility, a blank check for Israel, and the winking at the crimes of the Epstein class may play well enough with the older set of Always Trumpers, it sits not well with the younger generations of Republican voters. Indeed, political conflict between the generations may become the defining trait of American politics in the next decade.
The views expressed at AbbevilleInstitute.org are not necessarily those of the Abbeville Institute.
Oh yeah, … MD was once a normal state. I forgot that. No wonder MD has been hell bent on becoming a People’s Republic for as long as I can remember. The lefties must stamp out ALL normal Americans. MD’s lefties are a van guard of the revolution. They seem to take pride in adopting every wacky, sick leftist idea, with a VENGEANCE. I once worked in Montgomery County for six months. I never saw a more sour, angry bunch of people anywhere. Folks in NYC, another place I lived once upon a time, display Southern hospitality in comparison. Scowl was the default expression on their faces. One could not detect any warmth in people there. The ‘nicest’ ones all seemed defensive and as if they did not want anyone to detect that maybe they were actually normal lest they be burned at the stake. Now the left is trying to do the same in VA, but with not nearly as easily or with the success they had in MD. Thanks to Trump even the Feds are pushing back hard against Comrade Spanberger and her Dem. minions. A fun meme has appeared now. It is a MAGA hat that says “Virginia MAGA- Make Abigail Go Away”. Gotta love that.
Voted for Trump four times. Was impressed when he showed restraint in his first term and did not use the Insurrection Act to quell the violence and destruction of the “Summer of Love” and maintained article 4 constraints on the use of force within States without a request or approval of State governments. He tried to live up to his promises in the first term. Like Jefferson, Trump’s second term has the hallmarks of disaster written upon it. What started out as promising soon turned into a nightmare scenario which threatens to sweep the uni-party to power in 2026 and 2028. The vindictive nature of the political class will be taken out on those of us whom they deem seditious to the ‘government’ aka their power and wealth and they will try to deal with us accordingly. I have come to understand and agree that a large portion, be it not all of the Baby-Boomer generation, is writing the epitaph of what is left of this Lincolnian ‘united state.’ They never grew up from their churlish and reprobate behavior exhibited at
‘Woodstock’ and now have the power and monetary resources to maintain a their high standard of living all the while, leaving 40+ trillion in debt “for the children” (thank you Nancy P! ) to deal with. The Boomer will pass away leaving an economically shattered and morally destitute empire that will collapse on their children and grandchildren. Good lookin out Boomer.
Boomers are definitely flawed! It should not be forgotten though that it was Boomers that voted in Reagan, twice, and voted in Newt with his Contract With America, then they voted in Trump in 2016 and again in 2024. It also should not be forgotten that it was the Boomers’ parents, the WWII generation, the so called “Greatest Generation”, that raised, and tolerated the spoiled, self indulgent, decadent, over spending Boomers. The WWII generation voted in LBJ and his ‘Great Society’ that exploded government from the mid 1960’s onward, and gave us the FUBAR war in Vietnam with their stupid, deadly to our guys rules of operation – think McNamara here. Yes, we Boomers are a foul, useless lot to some people. But then again the parents we had set really lousy examples and let us get away with too much. Generations ‘X;, and Millennial and Zoom, on the other hand, are totally virtuous, well educated on Am History and politics, and economics, and make NO mistakes – like when they voted for Obama, twice. Real good choice young non-Boomers. Real good.
Full disclosure: I AM a Boomer born in ’51. Also, I am a Vietnam veteran who volunteered. Additionally, I am NOT a reprobate or at least I try not to be. I will let my wife be the judge of that. She is an honorable person, even though her taste in men is questionable IMHO.
Sir, the lower comment from myself is a reply to your first reply to me. I try never to assume anything and indicated in both of my responses that not all Boomers are bad. I apologize for accidentally not linking my response to your first response. I also wish to tender an apology to you and you Mrs. if I my first missive painted with too broad a brush. As a a 23 year veteran of the Naval service, let me welcome you home from your war Sir. Those of you who served, especially those who volunteered for service in Viet Nam are most deserving of the warm welcome home you were denied back then. Understand that my generation is dealing with issues related to the so called war on terror and are, like your generation having to deal with a sense of betrayal and distrust from our general government. I would refer you to an article produced by Lafayette Lee title “The Dark Age of Patriotism” to better inform you of the quandary we are in. The problems with the federal republic predate the Boomer generation. But critical analysis will reveal that those issues were not only never addressed by the Boomers, but also deepened and promulgated upon the following generations. I acknowledge that not all Boomers are bad. Not all GenXers and later generations are good. But there were/are enough bad Boomers in high places to collapse our civilization. Their Marxist children will mindless complete what they have started. As Admiral Semmes of the late Confederate Navy once said, “Liberty is destroyed by the multitude in the name of Liberty.” God bless you and all those you love Sir.
Deo Vindice
Very glad to have that very apt quote from Adm. Semmes, after whom is named one of the really fine native azalea hybrids.
Can we blame Boomers because the CIA assassinated JFK and installed LBJ? Or their parents because FDR manipulated the US into WWII as the ally of Stalin, a fiend worse and much more deadly than Hitler–after he promised to keep the US out of war when running for office, like Trump? Our problems are more complex than a particular generation’s deficiencies.
I’ve been very busy and just got back to this. Thank you for the apology.
I sometimes call the boom “Gen U”, as in unnecessary. Because had compromise prevailed in 1861, our Republic would have provided a far better example and much tougher challenge for National Socialists to marginalize and discredit the Weimar. World War One, and done.
There is the boom, and every generation trailing it – all of us pitching and rolling amidst the massive percussions of the second world war
That you are honest in your appraisal of the Boomer generation indicates you are more than likely not one of the reprobates from that generation Sir. In reference to what I, as a Gen-Xer, should appreciate about the Boomer’s previous voting patterns, the Reagan Revolution and the Contract with America were merely temporary reprieves in an ever increasing, downward death spiral of the Lincolnian imperium. Neither Reagan nor Gingrich, nor those that voted for them, affected any great or lasting restoration of the federal republic destroyed by Lincoln’s war and the so called Reconstruction Era.
I had a great mentor named LTC Alexander Jefferson who was a Tuskegee Airman and Detroit educator. I met him in Hawaii at the Pacific Aviation Museum as he was a guest lecturer for several years. We had many wonderful and frank conversations about a plethora of topics but the one I remember that is germane to this conversation almost exactingly echoes your notion that the ‘Greatest Generation’ spoiled the Boomers. LTC Jefferson acknowledged fault and lamented the error. LTC Jefferson also lamented the fact that while he could not access a public library in his youth because of segregation, he could not get students from my generation to go into one. Hence the advent of our ignorance.
As for GenX and the follow-on’s, I have no delusions of grandeur when it comes to our education and morals. We are lacking in both. We have been, for the most part, taught what to think instead of how to think and have seen and allowed Christianity to be driven from the public square. Hence, our voting patterns. Obama was a mere symptom of the greater disease of the imperial presidency and unconstitutional governance from all three branches of governance that all of our ignorance and sloth has tolerated. (And don’t forget all the vote buying through government largesse that creates dependency and keeps the uni-party in power) Obama’s ‘greatness,’ as well as the perceived greatness of our general government is merely mythology created by an unconstitutionally, federally funded indoctrination/education system that was predicted by Confederate General Patrick Cleburne.
Some GenXers, like myself, have returned home to the truth of the Christian faith and are trying to educate ourselves in the disciplines of Grammar, Dialectics and Rhetoric using sites like Abbeville, The 10th Amendment Center and Professor McClanahan, to name a few, as a basis for our history/civics re-education. Time is short and the learning curb is steep, but many of us GenXers are the ones taking a long hard look at this so called ‘union’ and are starting to ask, why should we stay? What is the value in remaining in a dying empire that is being looted by Marxists from all generations? Secession, a verboten subject 30 years, is no longer being kicked around as a fleeting distraction but as a real potential answer to the manifold issues of this dying imperium. As I see it, I’d like to leave this so called ‘union’ to everyone, regardless of their generational affiliation, who wants it. Let the South go its own way. Will an independent South work? Who knows. But considering where Lincoln’s America is going, the South has very little to loose in trying.
Deo Vindice
Zionists spent well more than $16 million in buying Massie’s Congressional seat. Closer to $30 million. With that kind of money and all the Mockingbird media totally on your side, you can make a lot of people believe lies.