In an interview on Sunday, Republican Rep. Adam Kinzinger of Illinois discussed the future of the Republican Party.
Per The Hill, speaking with Face the Nation host Margaret Brennan, Kinzinger argued that his party is divided on a key issue.
"We may be united in some areas… we don’t have to agree with everything the Biden administration is doing and so we’ll be opposition… but I think in terms of what is our vision for the future -- certainly not united," the congressman stated.
Kinzinger stressed that Republican lawmakers and candidates fearmonger in order to galvanize their base and woo voters. "I think we are a party that’s been, for too long, peddling in fear, using fear as a compelling way to get votes," he said.
The congressman made a similar suggestion earlier this month, when he told Real Time host Bill Maher that Republicans rely on fear to win elections.
He blasted his colleagues for demonizing Democrats and warning of "socialism," claiming their behavior is causing "real damage" to American democracy.
Brennan also asked Kinzinger to weigh in on the ongoing Conservative Political Action Conference, at which former President Donald Trump will deliver his first public speech since leaving the White House.
Kinzinger said that he expects Trump to peddle in fear, noting that the Republican Party lost both chambers of Congress and the presidency under his leadership.
"I think what you’re going to hear from the president at CPAC today is self-congratulations, no ability to recognize the fact that we have lost the House, the Senate and the presidency because of Donald Trump, and you’re going to see a lot of fear," he said.
Kinzinger, who recently formed a political action committee, made sure to praise Republicans who stood up to Trump and voted to remove him from office.
"There are a few I really appreciate in the Senate… those who voted to remove the president in particular because I think they did it at great personal cost," he said, referring to Senators Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, Mitt Romney of Utah and Ben Sasse of Nebraska.
Wyoming Rep. Liz Cheney, he added, demonstrated an "ability to stand up in front of a tough crowd and tell the truth."
Though Republicans like Kinzinger are trying to wrestle back control of the GOP, Trump remains popular with conservative voters. For instance, in a recent ABC News/Ipsos poll, 86 percent of Republican voters welcomed the upper chamber's decision to acquit Trump in his second impeachment trial.
Trump, who has indicated that he may run for president again in 2024, reportedly wants to assume a kingmaker role in the upcoming midterm elections. House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy confirmed as much this week, revealing that Trump won't refrain from targeting incumbent lawmakers.
