Follower crossing Republican's path (5)
I believe the answer is:
trail
'path' is the definition.
(trail is a kind of path)
I cannot understand how the rest of the clue works.
Can you help me to learn more?
(Other definitions for trail that I've seen before include "Track, route" , "Wake" , "Drag; path" , "Be drawn belong behind" , "Drop behind" .)