How Republicans are preparing for life after Trump

Analysis: Hedging against Mr Trump’s defeat this November, many are already acting like a presidential opposition party against Mr Biden by raising concerns about federal spending, writes US political correspondent Griffin Connolly

Senator Ted Cruz, R-Texas, is positioning himself to be a leader in Republicans' opposition to a hypothetical President Joe Biden. (Photo via Andrew Canellero-Reynolds AFP) (Andrew Canellero-Reynolds AFP)

As Donald Trump continues to lag behind Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden in the polls, Republicans in Congress are taking strategic steps to prepare for the post-Trump political landscape.

Several prominent GOP lawmakers have rediscovered their strong aversion to a soaring federal deficit, threatening to tank any bill costing another $1trn (or more) that would bolster the economy and health and education systems amid the coronavirus pandemic, despite the president’s desperation for a deal.

Some senators — Mitt Romney of Utah, Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, and Ben Sasse of Nebraska, to name a few — have more openly and aggressively rebuked the Trump administration in recent months, on everything from the president’s impeachment, to his handling of protests against police brutality and the federal government’s Covid-19 response.