June 29, 2026: How Trump voters seized the party from Republican leaders

Long before Donald Trump came to power, the Republican party was getting ready for him... or someone like him. You can go as far back as Nixon’s loss to Kennedy, which University of Denver political scientist Seth Masket does in his new book. It’s titled “The Elephants in the Room: How Trump Voters Seized the Party from Republican Leaders.” But it’s not just a look back. It’s a reflection on political violence today. Masket also ponders what the GOP might look like after Trump. We traveled to The Tattered Cover Book Store on Colfax in Denver for the book’s release.