Crash Course: It's not just Trump: Midterms show the religious right is an albatross around the GOP's neck

Republicans went hard with anti-LGBTQ rhetoric and abortion bans in 2022. Even their own voters don't like it. Your daily update from [Salon](~/AASU4wA~/RgRlYJBPP0REaHR0cHM6Ly9saW5rLndoZXJlYnkudXMvdnRnb3lmZzk4Yi8_bGhfYWlkPTM1NDM5NTImbGhfY2lkPThhaTlpNXVsbmNXA3NwY0IKY3RQC35jAWRBmlIbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODVAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAAAo). [Trump and evangelicals] It's not just Trump: Midterms show the religious right is an albatross around the GOP's neck A couple of weeks out from a midterm election in which Republicans dramatically underperformed, one major theme has emerged in the post-mortems: [Donald Trump is to blame](~/AASU4wA~/RgRlYJBPP0REaHR0cHM6Ly9saW5rLndoZXJlYnkudXMvOGV1NTdxbGtqZS8_bGhfYWlkPTM1NDM5NTImbGhfY2lkPThhaTlpNXVsbmNXA3NwY0IKY3RQC35jAWRBmlIbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODVAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAAAo). [Republican leaders are struggling with this information](~/AASU4wA~/RgRlYJBPP0REaHR0cHM6Ly9saW5rLndoZXJlYnkudXMvZ3NhMzM4eTloZy8_bGhfYWlkPTM1NDM5NTImbGhfY2lkPThhaTlpNXVsbmNXA3NwY0IKY3RQC35jAWRBmlIbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODVAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAAAo) because dumping Trump is easier said than done so long as he has a substantial percentage of their voting base in his thrall. But, in truth, Republican problems run even deeper than that. It's not just Trump. The religious right has been the backbone of the party for decades, but this midterm election shows they might now be doing the GOP more harm than good at the ballot box. As with Trump, Republicans are in a "can't win with them/can't win without them" relationship with the religious right. Fundamentalists remain a main source of organizing and fundraising for the GOP, as well a big chunk of their most reliable voters. They can't afford to alienate this group any more than they can afford to push away Trump. Doing so risks the loss of millions of loyal voters. But by continuing to pander to the religious right, Republicans are steadily turning off all other voters, a group that's rapidly growing in size as Americans turn their backs on conservative Christianity. That's doubly true when one looks at the youngest voters, the ones Republicans will need to stay viable as their currently aging voter base starts to die off. [Read more from Amanda Marcotte.](~/AASU4wA~/RgRlYJBPP0REaHR0cHM6Ly9saW5rLndoZXJlYnkudXMvcWdlaHpqcmhrYy8_bGhfYWlkPTM1NDM5NTImbGhfY2lkPThhaTlpNXVsbmNXA3NwY0IKY3RQC35jAWRBmlIbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODVAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAAAo) (Joe Raedle/Getty Images) Prosecutors mull new charges for Allen Weisselberg to get him to spill the beans on Trump: report The Manhattan district attorney's office is jump-starting its criminal investigation into former President Donald Trump after earlier reports suggested the probe had fizzled out, [The New York Times](~/AASU4wA~/RgRlYJBPP0REaHR0cHM6Ly9saW5rLndoZXJlYnkudXMvMWV5Yzgwc2s3Yi8_bGhfYWlkPTM1NDM5NTImbGhfY2lkPThhaTlpNXVsbmNXA3NwY0IKY3RQC35jAWRBmlIbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODVAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAAAo) reports. Prosecutors under new District Attorney Alvin Bragg have revived a "zombie theory" to focus on the $130,000 hush money payment to adult film star Stormy Daniels, who alleged she had an affair with Trump during the 2016 campaign, according to the report. This time prosecutors are considering building their case by pressuring longtime Trump Organization financial chief Allen Weisselberg, who pleaded guilty to tax fraud charges in a separate probe and [testified against Trump's company](~/AASU4wA~/RgRlYJBPP0REaHR0cHM6Ly9saW5rLndoZXJlYnkudXMvZ3Z1Y2s0c3N0dC8_bGhfYWlkPTM1NDM5NTImbGhfY2lkPThhaTlpNXVsbmNXA3NwY0IKY3RQC35jAWRBmlIbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODVAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAAAo) last week. Weisselberg has not flipped on Trump himself but prosecutors are now considering a new round of charges in an effort to secure his cooperation against the former president. [Read more from Igor Derysh.](~/AASU4wA~/RgRlYJBPP0REaHR0cHM6Ly9saW5rLndoZXJlYnkudXMvY3k2bjEzZmc1ai8_bGhfYWlkPTM1NDM5NTImbGhfY2lkPThhaTlpNXVsbmNXA3NwY0IKY3RQC35jAWRBmlIbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODVAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAAAo) (Photo illustration by Salon/Getty Images) - [For Democrats, it was the Dunkirk election](~/AASU4wA~/RgRlYJBPP0REaHR0cHM6Ly9saW5rLndoZXJlYnkudXMvdTJmeHppNThzNC8_bGhfYWlkPTM1NDM5NTImbGhfY2lkPThhaTlpNXVsbmNXA3NwY0IKY3RQC35jAWRBmlIbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODVAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAAAo): They escaped disaster, but the road ahead is hard - [COP27 ends with no emissions agreement](~/AASU4wA~/RgRlYJBPP0REaHR0cHM6Ly9saW5rLndoZXJlYnkudXMvc3lvYmZyOGhoYy8_bGhfYWlkPTM1NDM5NTImbGhfY2lkPThhaTlpNXVsbmNXA3NwY0IKY3RQC35jAWRBmlIbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODVAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAAAo): The oil era is ending anyway — because it must - [US ranks last](~/AASU4wA~/RgRlYJBPP0REaHR0cHM6Ly9saW5rLndoZXJlYnkudXMvN281MDBraTlodC8_bGhfYWlkPTM1NDM5NTImbGhfY2lkPThhaTlpNXVsbmNXA3NwY0IKY3RQC35jAWRBmlIbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODVAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAAAo) among peer nations for COVID-19 mortality: study - Elon Musk won't let [Alex Jones return to Twitter](~/AASU4wA~/RgRlYJBPP0REaHR0cHM6Ly9saW5rLndoZXJlYnkudXMvOWpraWxpZW8zMy8_bGhfYWlkPTM1NDM5NTImbGhfY2lkPThhaTlpNXVsbmNXA3NwY0IKY3RQC35jAWRBmlIbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODVAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAAAo) - [Kelly Rowland is booed](~/AASU4wA~/RgRlYJBPP0REaHR0cHM6Ly9saW5rLndoZXJlYnkudXMvNnJsa2YxdzYwNi8_bGhfYWlkPTM1NDM5NTImbGhfY2lkPThhaTlpNXVsbmNXA3NwY0IKY3RQC35jAWRBmlIbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODVAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAAAo)accepting an award for an absent Chris Brown - A brief [history of the Butterball Turkey Talk-Line](~/AASU4wA~/RgRlYJBPP0REaHR0cHM6Ly9saW5rLndoZXJlYnkudXMvcjNxdjJoanNtcC8_bGhfYWlkPTM1NDM5NTImbGhfY2lkPThhaTlpNXVsbmNXA3NwY0IKY3RQC35jAWRBmlIbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODVAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAAAo), including the most bizarre questions ever asked - This Thanksgiving, [ensure your gravy is lump-free](~/AASU4wA~/RgRlYJBPP0REaHR0cHM6Ly9saW5rLndoZXJlYnkudXMvaDNjN2cza3JiMC8_bGhfYWlkPTM1NDM5NTImbGhfY2lkPThhaTlpNXVsbmNXA3NwY0IKY3RQC35jAWRBmlIbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODVAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAAAo) with this simple method - How to properly — and safely — [defrost a frozen turkey](~/AASU4wA~/RgRlYJBPP0REaHR0cHM6Ly9saW5rLndoZXJlYnkudXMveXllaWZpYjNkbC8_bGhfYWlkPTM1NDM5NTImbGhfY2lkPThhaTlpNXVsbmNXA3NwY0IKY3RQC35jAWRBmlIbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODVAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAAAo) for your holiday feast - 6 [Trader Joe's Thanksgiving desserts](~/AASU4wA~/RgRlYJBPP0REaHR0cHM6Ly9saW5rLndoZXJlYnkudXMvN3IybG9ld2d5bS8_bGhfYWlkPTM1NDM5NTImbGhfY2lkPThhaTlpNXVsbmNXA3NwY0IKY3RQC35jAWRBmlIbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODVAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAAAo) to add to your cart right now If you found yourself here without subscribing, make sure to sign up for [Crash Course](~/AASU4wA~/RgRlYJBPP0REaHR0cHM6Ly9saW5rLndoZXJlYnkudXMvMmN0bzN1NnNhMS8_bGhfYWlkPTM1NDM5NTImbGhfY2lkPThhaTlpNXVsbmNXA3NwY0IKY3RQC35jAWRBmlIbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODVAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAAAo) so you don't miss anything! [Trump banner] Wake up, MSM: Donald Trump's comeback is not funny Serious, chronic illness is not funny. If left untreated, it can kill you. Consider Donald Trump, the proximate cause of one of America's most serious and chronic illnesses. There is nothing funny about this national health crisis. Trump literally attempted a violent coup and has clearly proven himself to be a fascist, a white supremacist and a corrupt demagogue. He has no sense of the public good, and through willful negligence and depraved indifference, was culpable for the deaths of countless people in the United States during the COVID pandemic. Trump's threat to American democracy has not suddenly receded because the Democrats and the American people were able to gain some breathing room in the midterm elections. [Read more from Chauncey DeVega.](~/AASU4wA~/RgRlYJBPP0REaHR0cHM6Ly9saW5rLndoZXJlYnkudXMvMmJlbmZianR2YS8_bGhfYWlkPTM1NDM5NTImbGhfY2lkPThhaTlpNXVsbmNXA3NwY0IKY3RQC35jAWRBmlIbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODVAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAAAo) (Photo via Drew Angerer/Getty Images) - "The U.S. Needs More Housing Than Almost Anyone Can Imagine," [The Atlantic](~/AASU4wA~/RgRlYJBPP0REaHR0cHM6Ly9saW5rLndoZXJlYnkudXMvc2s2eDl3b2tzZi8_bGhfYWlkPTM1NDM5NTImbGhfY2lkPThhaTlpNXVsbmNXA3NwY0IKY3RQC35jAWRBmlIbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODVAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAAAo) - "'What the Hell Are We All Doing Here?': Media Confronts Moral Dilemmas and Coverage Quirks at Qatar World Cup," [Vanity Fair](~/AASU4wA~/RgRlYJBPP0REaHR0cHM6Ly9saW5rLndoZXJlYnkudXMvams0aHNzbmhqdi8_bGhfYWlkPTM1NDM5NTImbGhfY2lkPThhaTlpNXVsbmNXA3NwY0IKY3RQC35jAWRBmlIbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODVAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAAAo) - "Inside a Crypto Nemesis’ Campaign to Rein In the Industry," [The New York Times](~/AASU4wA~/RgRlYJBPP0REaHR0cHM6Ly9saW5rLndoZXJlYnkudXMveW13NXd1cDV2ei8_bGhfYWlkPTM1NDM5NTImbGhfY2lkPThhaTlpNXVsbmNXA3NwY0IKY3RQC35jAWRBmlIbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODVAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAAAo) - "The Twilight of the Crypto Celebs," [The New Republic](~/AASU4wA~/RgRlYJBPP0REaHR0cHM6Ly9saW5rLndoZXJlYnkudXMvdHR2YzZ6dmNkYy8_bGhfYWlkPTM1NDM5NTImbGhfY2lkPThhaTlpNXVsbmNXA3NwY0IKY3RQC35jAWRBmlIbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODVAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAAAo) - "Inside the Hip-Hop Record Store Run by Undercover Cops," [Vice](~/AASU4wA~/RgRlYJBPP0REaHR0cHM6Ly9saW5rLndoZXJlYnkudXMvOXg5OWlua281bS8_bGhfYWlkPTM1NDM5NTImbGhfY2lkPThhaTlpNXVsbmNXA3NwY0IKY3RQC35jAWRBmlIbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODVAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAAAo) - "Europe’s Cities Are Getting More Crowded—and That’s Good," [Mother Jones](~/AASU4wA~/RgRlYJBPP0REaHR0cHM6Ly9saW5rLndoZXJlYnkudXMvN2kya2ExZG5vZC8_bGhfYWlkPTM1NDM5NTImbGhfY2lkPThhaTlpNXVsbmNXA3NwY0IKY3RQC35jAWRBmlIbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODVAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAAAo) [Richard Fierro] Colorado Springs police tackled and handcuffed Club Q hero who stopped gunman: report Minutes after a gunman opened fire at an LGBTQ nightclub in Colorado Springs, killing five people and wounding at least 17 others, officers rushed into the chaotic scene and forcefully detained the man who helped stop the shooting. Richard Fierro was at Club Q with his wife, daughter and her boyfriend on Saturday watching a drag show when gunfire erupted across the bar. The 15-year Army veteran's combat instincts kicked in, he said, and Fierro tackled the attacker to the ground before he could make his way to the patio, where people had fled. "I tried to save people and it didn't work for five of them," Fierro told [The Associated Press](~/AASU4wA~/RgRlYJBPP0REaHR0cHM6Ly9saW5rLndoZXJlYnkudXMvNzAza3M3M2NiYy8_bGhfYWlkPTM1NDM5NTImbGhfY2lkPThhaTlpNXVsbmNXA3NwY0IKY3RQC35jAWRBmlIbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODVAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAAAo). "These are all good people. ... I'm not a hero. I'm just some dude." The gunman dropped his rifle and pulled out a pistol, which Fierro used to beat him with. Fierro said he told a drag dancer, who was passing by to stomp on the attacker with her high heels. Together, Fierro and Thomas James subdued the attacker before officers arrived at the scene. As Fierro was about to go back to his wife and daughter, officers "tackled" him after seeing him with the shooter's gun, according to [The New York Times](~/AASU4wA~/RgRlYJBPP0REaHR0cHM6Ly9saW5rLndoZXJlYnkudXMvZTVtNW16bzlzby8_bGhfYWlkPTM1NDM5NTImbGhfY2lkPThhaTlpNXVsbmNXA3NwY0IKY3RQC35jAWRBmlIbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODVAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAAAo). "They put him in handcuffs and locked him in the back of a police car for what seemed like more than an hour. He said he screamed and pleaded to be let go so that he could see his family," the outlet reported, before he was ultimately freed. [Read more from Areeba Shah.](~/AASU4wA~/RgRlYJBPP0REaHR0cHM6Ly9saW5rLndoZXJlYnkudXMvNDgwOXg2MmJ4ei8_bGhfYWlkPTM1NDM5NTImbGhfY2lkPThhaTlpNXVsbmNXA3NwY0IKY3RQC35jAWRBmlIbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODVAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAAAo) (Photo via Helen H. 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