Trump maintains grip on GOP despite violent insurrection
By JILL COLVIN
Associated Press
WASHINGTON (AP) — Donald Trump’s excommunication from the Republican Party seemed a near certainty on Jan. 6, 2021, the day a raging band of his supporters breached the U.S. Capitol in a bid to overturn his election loss. Some of Trump’s closest allies warned he was “destroying” his legacy and accomplishments. But one year later, Trump remains the undisputed leader of the GOP. One of the Republicans working to wrest the party away from Trump’s control, former New Jersey Gov. Christine Todd Whitman, says she’s “horrendously disappointed.” Whitman says she’s surprised how many Republican elected officials are so deferential to Trump.