The Malignant Loser-anointed candidate for Speaker of the House, radical political terrorist and sexual abuse protector Rep. Jim "Gym" Jordan, may be the Dem's answer to their prayers, given his right-wing MAGA fanaticism. Until now, the Republican caucus has been dominated by the Matt Gaetzes on the far-right. But as the Independent's Eric Garcia notes, there are Republicans in swing districts that voted for Biden who are nervous about being tied to Gym's agenda and radicalism:
"Should he become speaker, he would be the highest-ranking elected Republican in the country and every Republican would immediately be tied with him. That might give Republicans who are from swing districts pause and ultimately lead to them not choosing Mr Jordan, regardless of what Mr Trump says.
At this point, the fact the House GOP conference has a slim majority goes without explanation. But for the most part, the focus has stayed on the 15 to 20 conservatives who at any given moment could sink Mr McCarthy or Republican legislative priorities.
Fewer people realise that Republicans have about just as many Republicans from swing districts who would not want to be associated with Mr Jordan or his antics, from leading a subcommittee on the 'weaponisation of the federal government,' to his attempts to overturn the 2020 presidential election, to his questioning of the story of a 10-year-old rape victim in his state who sought an abortion in Indiana, to his vociferous defences of Mr Trump.
The current Republican conference includes 18 members who represent districts that President Joe Biden won in 2020." (our emphasis)
The critical mission of Dems between now and the 2024 election is to make sure voters in those 18 districts, and more, get the connection between their Republican representatives and Gym and the party's reactionary and authoritarian agenda. They can't hide behind a broad brush "Republican" brand of yesteryear. It's Gym's House (or soon will be), and the Malignant Loser's party.
(photo: Jabin Botsford and Ricky Carioti/The Washington Post)
