Some conservative activists gave up on Trump’s 'slow-motion train wreck' — and are putting all their money behind Barrett

No matter how well things go for Democrats on Tuesday, November 3 — even if Vice President Joe Biden defeats President Donald Trump and Democrats recapture the U.S. Senate and expand their majority in the U.S. House of Representatives — it's entirely possible that Trump and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell will inflict a long-lasting wound on the Democratic Party: confirming Judge Amy Coney Barrett to the Supreme Court. Journalist Gabby Orr, in an article published by Politico on October 13, reports that some right-wing activists have given up on Trump's campaign and are now heavily focused on Barrett's nomination.

After the death of Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg on September 18, Orr notes, some Trump supporters saw a Supreme Court battle as a way to "galvanize" his MAGA base. But now, according to Orr, a "growing number of conservatives…. believe the last-minute judicial appointment can no longer save Trump — and they are adjusting their plans accordingly."

Those right-wing culture warriors, Orr reports, have given up on Trump's reelection campaign and believe that a Biden victory is likely. But that doesn't mean they are any less enthusiastic about Barrett, and their reasoning is that no matter how well Democrats perform in November, getting Barrett onto the Supreme Court would be a huge victory for social conservatism and the Republican agenda.

"Conservatives who once considered Trump's success in the November 3 election paramount to their goal of dismantling social progressivism have quietly shifted their focus to the lightning-fast Supreme Court confirmation fight," Orr explains. "In Barrett, a 48-year-old Catholic mother of seven and protégé of the late Justice Antonin Scalia, the president's traditionalist supporters see an easier short-term path to building a bulwark against the cultural shifts they oppose — and one that's more likely to yield long-term results."

A GOP activist, presumably interviewed on condition of anonymity, told Politico that because Biden might win and Democrats might perform well in Senate and House races, Barrett's nomination needs to be top priority for Republicans.

"It's just more doable," that activist explained. "I don't think Trump is sunk quite yet, but his reelection is certainly not a lock — whereas with Barrett, I would be really surprised if she doesn't get through. People are a little bit fatalistic. Whatever happens, happens. We've just got to focus on Barrett right now."

Another anonymous source, described by Orr as a "Trump ally," told Politico that the last two weeks have been "a slow-motion train wreck" for Trump's campaign — and that if Democrats recapture the White House and the Senate on November 3 while holding the House, confirming Barrett to the Supreme Court will be a major "consolation prize."

"I've been mapping out paths to 270 electoral votes almost every week since July, and it's gotten to a point now where it's just a depressing exercise," that Trump ally admitted —adding that if a blue wave in November is inevitable, confirming Barrett is "more important than ever."

It isn't hard to understand why some social conservatives would see Barrett's nomination as much more important to their cause than getting Trump reelected or holding the Senate. On November 3, Biden might win four years in the White House — and if Democrats flip the Senate, all of the winners would get six-year terms. But Barrett would have a lifetime appointment if she is confirmed. The far-right Barrett, born January 28, 1972, is a 48-year-old Gen-Xer — and if she lives as long as Ginsburg (who was 87 when she died), she could still be on the Supreme Court 39 years from now.