Republicans face internal crisis after midterm wipeout

Republicans are facing an internal crisis after a devastating midterm wipeout, with party leaders using terms like "extinction-level event" and "Watergate-level repudiation" to describe the losses that left them with their thinnest Capitol Hill ranks in decades. The party is deeply divided over its future direction, with the central question being former President Trump's role. Trump has refused to accept responsibility, blaming candidates instead, while some conservatives like Tucker Carlson declare "the end of the Trump era" and others call for a return to traditional Reagan-era principles. The infighting is set to intensify with upcoming leadership battles in the House and RNC, plus jockeying for the 2028 presidential nomination. Polling shows younger Republican voters are significantly less supportive of Trump than older ones, particularly on economic and foreign policy issues.