What Went Down On The First Night Of The Democratic National Convention

I’m not sure how many Republicans like Kasich or Molinari there are in the electorate, Sarah. Whitman has been registering dissatisfaction with the direction of the Republican Party for well over a decade now. But the idea of a somewhat organized faction of Republicans breaking off, endorsing Biden and appearing at this convention feels like a potential lasting shake-up to me.

So one of Biden’s gambits is he can win over Republicans who are dissatisfied with Trump’s leadership, or to steal a favorite phrase from Pete Buttigieg “future former Republicans.” What do we make of that play?

Kasich continued to criticize Trump long after the rest of the GOP closed ranks around him. It really seemed like he was putting all his chips on the scenario where Trump imploded and Republicans deserted him en masse. That could still happen, but right now it looks like it was the wrong bet. Kasich’s political career is pretty much over.