Such qualms grew more vocal after voter revulsion toward MAGA candidates cost Republicans their prophesied red wave in 2022. He had too much of an edge sometimes.” Perkins was clearly rooting for Ron DeSantis, who represented the shining hope of a post-Trump religious right. But there’s not going to be a post-Trump religious right — at least, not anytime soon. Evangelical leaders who started their alliance with Trump on a transactional basis, then grew giddy with their proximity to power, have now seen MAGA devour their movement whole. But this year, according to FiveThirtyEight’s polling average, Trump leads his nearest Republican rivals by more than 30 points.

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Persons: Tim Alberta’s, Donald Trump, Robert Jeffress, First Baptist Dallas —, ”, Trump boosterism —, “, —, MAGA, Mike Evans, ” Tony Perkins, Trump, Perkins, ” Perkins, Ron DeSantis, there’s, George W, Bush, Mike Huckabee, Rick Santorum, Ted Cruz Organizations: Christian, First Baptist, Texas, The Washington Post, Trump, Family Research, Evangelical, Republican Locations: American, The, Alberta, Iowa