Somewhat ironically, and as Zimmer recounts, the word is a bastardization derived from terminology once used by the Green Party and its then-standard bearer, Ralph Nader, to attack what they perceived as an “unsavory” collaboration between Democrats and Republicans that operated to thwart their agenda. But its usage today by far-right Republicans has a new meaning. As most recently employed last week by Fox News personality, fish stick prince, and Vladimir Putin apologist Tucker Carlson, it currently denotes a sinister, united purpose underlying the reaction of the U.S. “establishment”—be it Democratic or Republican—to Putin’s unprovoked assault on Ukraine:
“The uni-party is alive and well,” Carlson said, before flashing a photo of Republican leaders “in their orthopedic shoes” with Zelenskyy. Carlson then launched into Zelenskyy’s apparent “war against Christianity in the Ukraine” and Mitch McConnell’s assertion that “defeating Putin is the number one priority” for the senate – plus a laundry list of things that American politicians should be more worried about than Putin, including securing our borders and deaths by Fox’s recent favorite boogeyman, Fentanyl.
Right-wing Trump acolytes, seemingly flustered at recent Democratic successes such as the bipartisan passage of the omnibus budget bill, appear to have embraced the term as a type of rallying call to focus their base’s ire. Here’s Rep. Andy “Sweepstakes” Biggs, for example, writing for the Daily Caller, declaring “[T]he establishment is rather indifferent to the consequences of the Swamp’s policies on Americans, just so long as the Establishment, the uniparty remains in power.”
And here’s Rep. Matt Gaetz, “guest columnist” for the Florida Daily, railing this month against that same uniparty:
This is the uniparty in action and should let you know that McCarthy is not a threat to the system destroying America. How could he be? His closest adviser has represented Pfizer, Amazon, and a firm dedicated to giving out a path to American citizenship to wealthy Chinese. His roommate counts Google among his clients.
Just prior to the midterms, sad right-wing rag Breitbart jumped on the “uniparty” bandwagon as well, with their headline supporting New Hampshire Senate hopeful (and loser) Dan Bolduc’s effort against Democratic Sen. Maggie Hassan:
Republican Gen. Don Bolduc defied Sen. Maggie Hassan (D-NH) and the Washington, D.C., uniparty by deploying the Granite State’s motto – “Live Free or Die” – in his closing campaign ad before Tuesday’s election.
Not to be outdone, yet another rising face of the Republican Party, Georgia Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, also adopted this terminology in May, as reported by Fox News.
Greene concluded by condemning lawmakers she dubbed members of the “Uniparty” – a term used by conservatives to describe bipartisan establishment figures they believe do not prioritize the people’s will over their own.
She alluded to negotiations between a handful of members including Sens. Christopher Murphy, D-Conn., Martin Heinrich, D-N.M., Pat Toomey, R-Pa., and Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., – who engaged in discussions about a path forward on gun legislation, according to CBS.
“The members of the Uniparty slither in the Capitol and have been there too long,” she said.
The prospect of right-wing Trumpers driving a wedge between themselves and the rest of the GOP—those who refused to endorse their less-than stellar effort in 2022 to “purify” the party by nominating a panoply of like-minded, unelectable losers—can’t do anything but help Democrats in 2024. As explained by reporters Charles Homans, Jazmine Ulloa, and Blake Hounshell, writing for the The New York Times, an analysis of the 2022 midterm elections shows:
[A] precariously narrow but consequential slice of the electorate that went against its own voting history this year in order to reject Republican candidates who sought control over elections, at least in part out of concern for the health of the political system and the future of democracy.
…
The election results suggest that a focus on Mr. Trump’s election lies did not merely galvanize Democrats but also alienated Republicans and independents. Final turnout figures show registered Republicans cast more ballots than registered Democrats in Arizona and Nevada, but election-denying candidates nevertheless lost important races in each of those states.
Republican candidates in statewide contests who embraced Mr. Trump’s election lies also significantly underperformed compared with Republicans who did not. This was true even in districts that voted overwhelmingly for Mr. Trump in 2020 …
Anything that drives “ordinary” Republicans from Trump helps us, because Trumpian Republicans continue to dominate their own primaries.
So, by all means, Trumpites, please proceed with demonizing your fellow Republicans by calling them members of this sinister “uniparty,” or anything else to keep fomenting division.
We’ll be here to reap the rewards.
