He belongs to GOP

Monday columnist Bradley Gitz would have readers believe that the horrors of a second Trump presidency would be the fault of Democrats, or “leftists” as he so often and derisively refers to them.

This pretzel logic is straight out of the Trump playbook: Deflect the blame on to the left for a problem the right created. To Gitz’s credit, he tried to warn us of a Trump presidency, but I believe Trump’s ascension is wholly the creation of the Republican Party and Gitz’s conservative movement. Republicans — not Democrats — elected him, cheered him on, voted for him twice, refused to impeach him after the Jan. 6 insurrection, and overwhelmingly support the “Big Lie” that he won the 2020 election.

Think I’m exaggerating? Google the CBS News/YouGov poll of GOP priorities of 2024. It shows 69% of Republican-leaners don’t believe President Biden is a legitimate president; 75% say the idea that Trump actually won in 2020 is a reason to vote for him; and 61% want a candidate who says Trump won the 2020 election.

It’s dishonest and nonsensical to blame Democrats for an unfit Republican candidate who continues to win the majority support of his party. Whether Gitz likes it or not, Trump is the Republican’s tar-baby lock, stock and barrel.

CHARLIE HUGHES Fayetteville