India, Nov. 6 -- In the immediate wake of an electoral shellacking that sent shockwaves through the conservative movement, the unspoken race for the 2028 Republican presidential nomination effectively exploded into public view. With Democrats capturing majorities in both the House of Representatives and the Senate during a historic midterm cycle, prominent conservative figures vying to inherit the MAGA coalition and lead the party forward have rushed to diagnose the root causes of the disaster.

The post-mortem debate has laid bare stark ideological divisions within the Republican ranks. While US President Donald Trump sought to deflect blame, insisting the outcome would have differed had his name been on the ballot, potential 2028 hopefu...