The last Gallup poll conducted when Donald Trump was still president saw him at an approval rating of 82% among Republicans between Jan. 4 and Jan. 15. Of the 50 Republicans in the Senate, had 82% of them voted to acquit Former President Trump on the charges of impeachment, 41 Senators would have voted to acquit. Since 43 voted to acquit, President Trump would seem to have a higher approval rating within the Republicans in the Senate than the party. Nevertheless, the seven Senators who voted to convict the President not only demonstrated the popularity of President Trump within the Republican Party, but they also must be in tune with the rest of the country.

Gallup also found that in the same period, 50% of Americans self-identify as Independents, with the split between Republicans and Democrats being even. That coupled with another poll saying how Americans think the U.S. lost more ground than made progress with President Trump, the Republican party is in a complicated spot. Republicans should focus on moving past President Trump and try focusing on building the future of the party. Besides the norm that once the president leaves office, they no longer are the head of a party, President Trump himself is so unpopular amongst Americans that it would serve them better to distance him from the party.

Republicans also showed a disgusting double-standard that leaves us further unpopular. With Senator Ernst saying comments such as “they won’t get their norms, they won’t get anything” after being asked about witnesses, it gives Democrats and Americans reason not to want to cooperate with them. The impeachment also shows how some prominent Republicans would be more willing to work with Q-Anon conspiracy theorists than with regular centrists. The political maneuver to make the Republican Party so small that only the most fanatic Trump supporters can be identified amongst them would only ensure that a Republican never wins the White House again.

Personally, I believe the House managers presented an extremely well-done case as to why President Trump should be convicted. The lawyers who represented President Trump were ill-prepared to answer questions, provided irrelevant comments and I find it hard to believe an impartial juror would find their case compelling. What is even more compelling was that lead impeachment manager Representative Raskin was able to make his case just a month after he lost his son. Republicans should feel embarrassed that President Trump could not get better lawyers.

The second impeachment trial of President Trump highlights the growing divides in the party of the consequences for its future. The party should have committed to its plan after their loss in 2012 in building up the base of the party: reaching out to minority groups and working on issues affecting the middle class.