Republicans should hear what Marjorie Taylor Greene is trying to tell them | Opinion

In a sane political world, the surprise retirement of Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene would have dominated the news cycle. Instead, it was just another blip in a week where we also saw a judge tossing out the DOJ’s cases against former FBI Director James Comey and New York Attorney General Letitia James, and the Pentagon launching an investigation into Sen. Mark Kelly after he appeared in a video encouraging troops to ignore unlawful orders.

This is what Washington has become - a circus built on top of dysfunction, wrapped in chaos, and powered by outrage.

So when Greene warned in her retirement video that “Republicans will likely lose the midterms,” it largely went unnoticed. Instead, the media gawked at the palace intrigue, and MAGA-world celebrated it like a trophy - proof that Donald Trump’s power is absolute.

But Republicans would be wise to take Greene warnings seriously.

Inflation, layoffs, and collapsing affordability are hitting Americans hard - and Trump is telling them it’s not real. Joe Biden tried that strategy. It destroyed him. Americans don’t tolerate leaders who tell them their grocery bills are imaginary. It’s political suicide.

And if Trump was truly prepared to dump “tens of millions of dollars” to destroy Greene, it would’ve been political malpractice. He knows exactly what’s at stake: if Democrats win next November, they will impeach him. If Trump wants impeachment insurance, here’s a radical idea: stop kneecapping Republicans who would vote to protect you and start targeting vulnerable Democratic seats.

Take New Jersey’s 11th District for example. Mikie Sherrill’s gubernatorial win opens her House seat in a special election next year. Cook Political Report rates it as a D+5 district. Democrat leaning, but competitive. Winnable. If Trump has tens of millions to burn, that’s where you spend it.

But Greene’s exit made one thing clear: MAGA isn’t expanding - it’s a circular firing squad. Chaotic. Cannibalistic. And increasingly disconnected from the reality Americans are living.

But step outside MAGA-world and you see a very different America - one that still recognizes service, honors institutions, and remembers what leadership is supposed to look like.

You saw that at the funeral of former Vice President Dick Cheney

More than a thousand people filled Washington’s National Cathedral — two former presidents, four former vice presidents, and leaders from both parties. Their presence wasn’t just a tribute to one man’s service. It was a reaffirmation that America still works.

Yes, our politics can be bitter. Yes, the noise can drown out reason. But in that cathedral, something enduring was on display: respect. Respect for service, for the nation, and for the institutions that bind us together. People who disagreed deeply stood shoulder to shoulder to honor a life devoted to country.

It was a quiet reminder that disagreement is not division — that America’s greatness has always come from spirited debate guided by shared purpose. We argue, we differ, we fight — but we still believe in the same flag, the same freedom, and the same promise that tomorrow can be better than today.

While MAGA may dominate the headlines with chaos and theatrics, we must remember that America is not defined by its angriest voices.

And that’s the message worth carrying into Thanksgiving.

As we gather around kitchen tables and in crowded living rooms, we pause to give thanks for the blessings we so often rush past: the freedoms we enjoy, the opportunities that still define this country, and the loved ones who fill our lives with meaning.

And we should remember this as well: politics need not poison our relationships. It doesn’t have to be vicious, and disagreement doesn’t have to be demeaning. Extremists may shout, but they cannot silence the enduring spirit of this nation.

Thanksgiving reminds us of the real America — not the distorted version churned out by cable news or social media, but a nation grounded in liberty, united by shared ideals, and lifted by our unwavering belief in the greatness and promise of this country.

Matt Wylie is a South Carolina-based Republican political strategist and analyst with more than 25 years of experience working on federal, state and local campaigns.