In Washington, Republicans are rudderless after their candidate to lead the House of Representatives drops out. On the campaign trail, seasoned conservatives struggle in the presidential race while a reality TV star alienates the nation's fastest-growing slice of the electorate.
Since 2010, Republicans have harnessed the anti-establishment energy of the tea party movement to win control of Congress and recruit a deep field of candidates for the November 2016 presidential election.
Now that insurgent fervor threatens the party's ability to govern effectively and win over new voters, strategists warn. While many Americans share Republicans' skepticism of government, they also need to show they are capable of handling power responsibly — or else face punishment from voters next year.