As I write this, the U.S. House and Senate are still up for grabs as votes are being counted in the midterm elections. The one thing we do know for certain right now is that there was no Republican “red wave” that so many pundits and pollsters had predicted.
Republicans are once again tripping over themselves trying to explain away the fact that their extremist rhetoric has radicalized people and led to violence. Whether it’s the loopy conspiracy theories of the MAGA right or the more tame “jokes” of moderate Republicans, they all seem to have difficulty grasping the facts.
According to some polls and pundits, it’s definitely not looking too good right now for the Democrats in the midterm elections. Republican candidates are leaning into inflation, gas prices and crime in an attempt to undermine the electorate’s confidence in Democratic candidates.
California Republican Rep. Kevin McCarthy recently released his party’s “Commitment to America,” which is of course meant to harken back to Republican victories (falsely) attributed to Newt Gingrich’s “Contract with America.” How did McCarthy’s rollout go?
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis has achieved a new low by using people seeking asylum as a political prop. Of course he didn’t invent the idea (xenophobic hat tip to Donald Trump!), before DeSantis sent a planeload of people from Venezuela to Martha’s Vineyard, Texas Governor Greg Abbott and Arizona Governor Doug Ducey have been sending migrants to Democratic strongholds like Chicago and Washington, D.C.
After President Biden called out Trump supporters and politicians for undermining democracy, the MAGA set was shocked (shocked, I say!) that he dare attack them with such partisan vigor. Never mind that they really are undermining democracy. Regardless, most Republicans and a good number of beltway reporters thought Biden went a little too far in his “Battle for the Soul of America” speech.
Signing legislation makes for much more boring news coverage than FBI raids. Even though President Biden and the Democrats have managed to pass some seriously major legislation, most eyes are on the train wreck that is the Trump Republican Party.
Just as the Republican Party is trying to distance itself from Donald Trump after a disappointing showing in the midterm elections, the twice-impeached, insurrection-inciting, soon-to-be-indicted former president is reminding the nation he is still the leader of the party.