Longtime Texas Republican Says GOP Has Become a 'Cult'

Former Texas Republican Congressman Alan Steelman contends that the Republican Party has become a cult centered around one individual, President Donald Trump. In an interview on CNN, Steelman argued that the party has shifted significantly since Trump's rise to political prominence, becoming "darker and darker" and betraying the principles of past leaders like Abraham Lincoln, Theodore Roosevelt, and Dwight Eisenhower.

Steelman, who served as executive director of the Republican Party of Dallas County, said he had long resisted describing the GOP as a cult but now believes the label is unavoidable. He cited Trump's influence as the reason for the party's transformation, describing him as a "gift" to Democrats and other opponents. Some Republican supporters even refer to Trump as a "gift of God."

Steelman's comments come as a group of former Texas Republicans, including former congressmen Steve Bartlett and Tom Phillips, are advocating for Democrat James Talarico in the Texas Senate race. Phillips, a former chief justice of the Texas Supreme Court, emphasized that while he does not agree with all of Talarico's past statements or current positions, he is confident in his ability to serve Texas with dignity and honor, citing character as a more important factor than party affiliation.

Recent polls show Talarico narrowly ahead in the race, with a lead that has grown over the past week.