As I read this, from an article entertainingly headlined, Congressional Republicans panic as they watch their lead dwindle …
With control of the House and Senate still undecided, angry Republicans mounted public challenges to their leaders in both chambers Friday as they confronted the possibility of falling short of the majority, eager to drag Rep. Kevin McCarthy (Calif.) and Sen. Mitch McConnell (Ky.) down from their top posts as consequence. …
The first hurdles for a slim House GOP majority are leadership elections and agreeing on conference rules, a showdown that is expected next week. The staunchly conservative House Freedom Caucus is calling for a delay to those housekeeping efforts — especially if control of the House is not decided by then. [WaPo]
… I thought, If McCarthy wins, he’ll face the problem of the Freedom Caucus, the same people who brought down Speaker Boehner (R-OH). Would he consider expelling one or two members of the Freedom Caucus from Congress as a signal warning to the rest of them?
Sure, seems highly unlikely. But who’d miss Rep Jordan (R-OH), Greene (R-GA), or Gosar (R-AZ)? Hey, there’s currently 43 members, maybe kick a couple out and tell the rest to get in line?
Nyah, won’t happen. Democrats would have to cooperate, as it takes 2/3 of the membership of the House to expel a member. But, hey, a little thinking outside of the box by McCarthy may be necessary.
Which reminds me, the Senate, as I type this, is at 49-49, advantage Democrats because they hold the White House and therefore get to break ties via VP Harris. Arizona was called for the Democrats yesterday, in case my reader missed the news. This means the Democrats must win one of the two remaining contests, while the Republicans must win both.
These contests are Senator Cortez Masto (D) vs Adam Laxalt (R) in Nevada, currently lead by the latter by a tenth of a point with an estimated 94% of the vote counted, and Senator Warnock (D) vs Herschel Walker (R) in Georgia, where there’s a requirement that the 50% barrier be broken, or the race goes to a runoff election. As Warnock is at 49.4% with 99% of the estimated vote counted, that’s almost certainly where it’s going.
Now let’s suppose that Senator Cortez Masto has enough votes in the uncounted vote pile to make up that tenth of a point and more, thus winning her seat again and, more importantly, guaranteeing the Democrats control of the Senate. Riddle me this: Given that Walker may be the most inadequate nominee to the Senate in a good long time, spewing gibberish, lies, and unacceptable policies every which way, do you, in your role of controller of Republican policy and monies, go all in on him for the runoff?
Knowing that he could be six years of unmitigated embarrassment, six years of damage to a Republican Party that unexpectedly failed to make substantial gains last week?
Or do you not support him and figure the Democrats can have the seat for six years, giving it to Senator Warnock (D), who apparently is gaining a reputation for oratory, for persuasiveness?
Tough question, really. I suppose you have to go all in, but it’s really a distasteful decision, at least in my view.
