mike pence donald trump Associated Press/Manuel Balce Ceneta

President Donald Trump’s scandals have made the 2020 elections less than certain for many Republicans.

Given recent election results and Trump’s approval ratings, it is clear that the GOP should move on from Trump and move forward with a President Mike Pence.

Despite Pence’s own faults, he offers Republicans a better option than Trump and actually respects American institutions.

Michael Gordon is a long-time Democratic strategist, a former spokesperson for the Justice Department, and the principal for the strategic-communications firm Group Gordon.

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Conventional wisdom has it that Republicans will and should stick with President Donald Trump, and conventional wisdom is usually wrong.

I’m the last person to give advice to Republicans, but the GOP needs to move on to a President Mike Pence.

Trump’s drip-drip on impeachment, the daily scandal output, and an uncanny ability to say the wrong thing has led him to historically low approval numbers for a president on the eve of reelection. As a result, he’s setting himself up perfectly for failure — and he could bring many of his party loyalists with him.

By contrast, Pence will not be carrying Trump’s baggage on Election Day. To be sure, Pence brings his own problems to the party, including an ugly history of homophobia and sexism. Plus, he combines retrograde views with a total lack of charisma and an inability to sound sincere. But compared to Trump’s wild brand, Pence comes across as next to normal. He would stand stronger at the top of the ticket and help Republicans down ballot.

Trump’s limited but persistent appeal

Narcissists are all about what have you done for me lately. That’s why Trump can focus only on the love he gets from his base, ignoring Americans not in his corner. His indifference to anyone who’s not in the diehard-fan group has led to declining support among independents and a steady loss of traditionally GOP-leaning groups, as evidenced by this week’s elections and in the 2018 midterms. It’s why his ceiling is 40%.

Pence is a canny politician and knows that general elections are a dance between the middle and the sides. While he may not have a diehard-fan base, he’ll pitch a bigger tent on Election Day that could be more attractive to suburban voters and independents turned off by Trump’s scandals.

To that end, Pence would be a salve to the existential fear Republicans feel as a result of Trump’s immovable sway over the base. As it stands, Trump’s hold on the base has forced GOP candidates to mirror his wild style and defend his worst conduct.

Moving forward with Pence would free Republicans to show a modicum of individuality in their races and in their governance that they won’t show now. Without the pressure to adhere to the Trump party line, they can take a couple of baby steps toward being themselves.

Impeachment math

In the increasingly likely event that the House decides to impeach Trump, the decision to Pence or not to Pence will realistically be up to just a fraction of the Senate.

Of the 20-odd Republican Senate seats up for grabs in 2020, at least a few incumbents, such as Susan Collins and Cory Gardner, are in precarious races. And given recent electoral trends, the number of imperiled GOP senators will increase with Trump in the White House. But these Republicans can’t get reelected if they count just on Trump’s 40% — they need to dance to that middle too.

In many ways, their calculation about what’s best for their reelection could swing the decision on removing the president. If a few gain a conscience and break off, there starts to be a safety-in-numbers mentality. It becomes easier to impeach 45 and swear in 46 when the dominoes begin to fall.

What about the Republicans not up for reelection next year? There’s an even more compelling case for them to vote their conscience. By the time they are on the ballot again, the Trump presidency could be a bad memory, and they’ll either ride Pence’s coattails or find a new life battling a President Warren or a President Biden.

For the record, there’s one more nonpolitical factor to consider: While this would not motivate Republicans, removing Trump and promoting Pence has the added benefit of helping the country — by installing someone who respects the institutions that keep our country safe, who understands our foes for who they are, and who would not govern via social-media tantrum.

It may be wishful thinking, but after three years of Trump’s craziness, many Americans — including those like me for whom Pence is anathema — are just yearning for the semblance of a normal presidency.