After the riot, you can view the GOP as an onion with the following layers, starting from the outside:
- The extremists who either actively participated in the riot or continue to justify it;
- A larger group that continues to accept the lie about the rigged election, but which did not support the riot;
- A group that said nothing to contradict Trump when he repeated the lie up to the point that the election was certified at the state level, but did not object to the count on January 6 and was appalled by the riot; and
- A small group which actually wants the GOP to be a responsible center-right party. These people acknowledged the Biden victory within a few days of the election.
Groups 1-3 all bear varying degrees of responsibility for the riot. Groups 1-2 represent a continuing danger to our liberal democratic system. Mitch McConnell thinks Group 1 is a liability for the GOP, and wants to see them excommunicated; Kevin McCarthy believes they need to be kept on side. That is the only real question at this point; my money is on McCarthy.