Popularity is optional as Republicans find ways to impose minority rule

Some of Trump's party's signature policies enjoy only meagre public support but rightwing judges and state legislators are proving adept at finding workarounds

We called for you all to ban assault weapons, and you respond with an assault on democracy." These were the words of Justin Jones, a Black Democrat, to Tennessee Republicans after he and a colleague, Justin Pearson, were expelled for leading a gun protest on the state house of representatives floor.

A week later, Jones and Pearson were reinstated amid applause, whoops and cheers at the state capitol in Nashville. But few believe that the assault on democracy is at an end. What happened in Tennessee is seen as indicative of a Donald Trump-led Republican party ready to push its extremist agenda by any means necessary.