It’s been remarkable to see how much of former President Donald Trump’s energy in 2020 was spent bullying his fellow Republicans. From his vice president to state-level officials, Trump was fixated on convincing his supposed allies to abandon their principles and deliver him a victory against Joe Biden.
There was no shortage of people telling Trump that his fantasies of victory were both impossible and illegal.
We saw most of this play out in real-time in that weird, unsettling period following Election Day. But the Jan. 6 committee’s hearing on Tuesday showed that neither side truly won in the battle of wills Trump waged against Republican governors, state legislators, and secretaries of state.
On the surface, the committee’s evidence showed a clear loss for Trump and his cohort. Not one of the state legislatures he targeted caved under his pressure and reversed the will of their voters. Not a single one of the “fake electors” his campaign organized was officially certified.








