If the 2016 election had gone to someone other than Donald Trump, Republican strategist Mike Murphy might have been in charge.
Among Murphy’s prior clients are Lamar Alexander, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Mitt Romney, and John McCain. In other words, many of the men who were demoted shortly after Trump’s inauguration.
Murphy has been engaging in private sector activities in deep-blue Los Angeles while being wary about Trump for some time now.
On the bright side, his political criticism is among the most astute that we’ve seen.
You might know Murphy from his time on “Hacks On Tap” with David Axelrod. Anyone who has heard him speak there before knows how expertly he can mix his opinions on Trump’s politics with sharp critiques of Kamala Harris’ campaign and Murphy’s signature wit.
In light of this unexpectedly close result, I met up with Murphy on Thursday to discuss the next steps.
Mike Murphy nearly dashed JD Vance’s hopes of becoming a senator in 2017, and we discussed Tuesday’s debate and the reasons why Trump is still being supported by strong winds. We also discussed how Murphy might change Kamala Harris’ message and the future of the Republican Party in Trump’s absence.