Andrew Sullivan and other bloggers started talking about the GOP “echo chamber” years ago, and, having been away for a couple of days with illness, it really struck me that the GOP may be disconnected from most of the United States these days. The obvious example is the ACA replacement bill. Kevin Drum provides a lovely graphic illustrating the problem:
And yet Speaker Ryan seems bent on jamming it through the House. This is a bill basically held hostage by the far-right Freedom Caucus, a group of 40 Representatives who, by voting en bloc, seem to be able to remove at will all the important elements of a health bill, such as pre-existing conditions, hospitalization, or anything else you can name.
But this is a new issue, relatively speaking, and perhaps the public will grow to like it, as unlikely as it seems. So let’s take a look at something that would be more shocking. Secretary of Health and Human Services Tom Price was formerly Representative Price of Georgia’s 6th district, a “deep red” (heavily GOP leaning) district, meaning that his 2016 victory, winning with 61.6% of the electorate, was actually his worst showing – he even once ran with no opposition from the Democrats. His move to Secretary of HHS means a special election will be held to replace him.
A triviality, right? But the GOP can read polls and apparently they’re more than a little worried. From National Journal:
Recognizing the high stakes in an upcoming special House election in suburban Atlanta, the GOP-aligned super PAC Congressional Leadership Fund is spending an additional $1.1 million in television ads against the Democratic front-runner, Jon Ossoff. After its first spot showed footage of a college-aged Ossoff dressed up as Han Solo to poke at his immaturity, the new ad campaign is treading on more familiar ground, connecting the 30-year-old Democrat to unpopular House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi.
This on top of another buy – major dollars for a district so safe that sometimes Democrats can’t even scare up a challenger. Why? Heavy presents the case:
A new poll released March 20 shows progressive Democrat Jon Ossoff increasing his lead in a special election to replace Tom Price in Georgia’s 6th congressional district.
The “exclusive” poll, performed by conservative-leaning zpolitics and Clout Research, shows Ossoff ahead of the 18-candidate field with 41 percent of the support of those polled.
Especially this:
The survey ran from March 15-16 and found that Ossoff, a first-time candidate with a business and national security background, has built on his lead in the race in comparison of a poll that was released in February. In that poll, Ossoff received 32 percent of support while Handel was at 25 percent and Gray was third with 11 percent.
A 9 point jump in support? He’s still not free and clear, but the 6th district has abruptly become a drain on GOP resources – no doubt a real shock to the system.
The intense discussion of the health bill, not to mention the mental stability of President Trump, may be serving notice to the public to pay more attention to politics and elections – and that, in turn, may cause the GOP’s tendency to talk to itself to become more emphasized.
Working against this thesis? Control of Congress. But that may be the straw that breaks the camel’s back. As a RINO-enforced collection of nominees and bills are passed, making clear the extremism elected to Congress, it may be a self-destructive victory for the GOP.
