How Did We Get Here? The Current State of the Republican Party: A Conversation with Mike Murphy Artwork

Then & Now

Then & Now connects past to present, using historical analysis and context to help guide us through modern issues and policy decisions. Then & Now is brought to you by the UCLA Luskin Center for History and Policy. Then & Now is produced by David Myers and Roselyn Campbell, and features original music by Daniel Raijman.

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How Did We Get Here? The Current State of the Republican Party: A Conversation with Mike Murphy

December 14, 2020 • UCLA Luskin Center for History and Policy • Episode 31

Despite losing the national election, Donald Trump continues to exercise total control over the Republican party. Tens of millions of voters supported him, and most prominent Republican leaders still refuse to acknowledge the results of the election. How did we get here? How did Newt Gingrich, Sarah Palin, and the election of Barack Obama lay the groundwork for Trumpism? As we head into a new presidential administration, what is the future of the Republican party?

Mike Murphy, a Republican political consultant who has advised prominent Republicans including John McCain, Jeb Bush, and Arnold Schwarzenegger, joins Then & Now to address these questions. He is a commentator on NBC News, hosts a podcast called “Hacks on Tap” with David Axelrod, and is a vocal critic of President Trump.