Rand Paul suggests one third of GOP to leave if Republicans back Trump impeachment

Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY) issued a warning to his own party, suggesting that if Republicans back the second impeachment to convict former President Donald Trump, that they risk the possibility of one-third of the party leaving the GOP.

Sen. Paul made his statement while being interviewed on The Ingraham Angle, a popular political talk show on Fox News.

Democrats appear hopeful to convict former President Donald Trump in hopes to prevent him from running for president in 2024. Several Republicans are supporting the effort as well. If convicted, that would prevent Trump from running for president, leaving the door open for Republicans to run without worrying about losing to Trump, and same for Democrats who might find the number of his supporters to be quite the challenge to defeat.

Republicans tried to question Senate’s ability to have a trial for a former president, but it was voted on and the Senate impeachment trial of Trump will move forward, starting in early February.

Wall Street Journal provided coverage of that event and reported the following:

Forty-five Republicans, including Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R., Ky.), sided with Sen. Rand Paul (R., Ky.) on his point of order arguing that the planned trial of a now-private citizen violates the Constitution. Some cautioned, however, that their vote Tuesday didn’t necessarily dictate how they would vote at the end of trial.

However, after the vote was taken on the matter, it was the Democrats who prevailed with a vote of 55-45. Every Democrat voted to proceed and five Republicans did as well. They were “GOP Sens. Mitt Romney of Utah, Ben Sasse of Nebraska, Susan Collins of Maine, Lisa Murkowski of Alaska and Pat Toomey of Pennsylvania.”

Democrats need 17 Republicans to be part of a supermajority, or two-thirds, in order for Trump to be convicted.

There may be internal arguments among GOP members about what to do and how it would affect their party as a whole.

WATCH Sen. Rand Paul deliver his message about the status of the GOP if Republicans back the second Trump impeachment: