President Trump is discovering, once again, that Washington Republicans can smile for the cameras, praise the MAGA movement at campaign rallies, then turn into offended middle managers the second their own careers are threatened. Senator Ted Cruz pulled back the curtain on the drama brewing inside the Senate GOP, and it sounds less like a unified political movement and more like a country club board meeting where four members just got told their parking spots are gone.
According to Cruz, four Republican senators are furious over President Trump backing challengers against sitting members of Congress. Apparently in Washington, loyalty only works one direction. Senators are expected to line up behind President Trump’s agenda, but when Trump decides a lawmaker is ineffective, weak, or openly hostile to the America First movement, suddenly everybody clutches their pearls and acts shocked that politics can be competitive. Amazing how that works.
The first senator reportedly simmering with rage is Bill Cassidy of Louisiana. Cassidy already suffered political embarrassment after finishing third in his primary while Trump-backed Rep. Julia Letlow surged ahead. Cruz didn’t sugarcoat the situation either, saying, “This is not rocket science, Bill Cassidy is p*ssed.” Well, maybe Republican voters in Louisiana were tired of senators who spend more time impressing CNN producers than fighting Democrats. Just a thought.
Then there’s Thom Tillis, who has been openly feuding with President Trump for months. Tillis reportedly became especially bitter after Trump effectively pushed him toward the political exit sign. Cruz explained that President Trump “pledged to defeat Thom Tillis in his election.” In Washington terms, that’s basically the equivalent of being voted off the island. Tillis has spent years frustrating conservatives with half-hearted compromises and carefully scripted concern about every major Republican fight. At some point Republican voters start wondering whether they elected a senator or hired a substitute Democrat with better manners.
The third angry senator is John Cornyn. President Trump’s endorsement of Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton sent shockwaves through Texas politics, and Cornyn reportedly isn’t thrilled about it. Cruz pointed out that the endorsement will have “a massive effect” on the race. That might be the understatement of the year. Cornyn has long represented the old guard Republican establishment, the wing of the party that still thinks strongly worded press releases count as political warfare. Republican primary voters increasingly disagree.
Finally there’s Rand Paul, whose frustration reportedly stems from the defeat of Rep. Thomas Massie, one of Paul’s closest ideological allies. Cruz described Massie as “passionately anti-Israel in a way that has been pretty extreme.” Paul campaigned alongside Massie, and according to Cruz, “Rand was p*ssed.”
Here’s the bigger issue for Republicans. The Senate GOP majority is razor thin at 53 seats. If four Republican senators decide they’d rather settle personal scores than advance conservative legislation, President Trump’s agenda could hit a wall quickly. Democrats already oppose virtually everything tied to Trump by default. Add wounded Republican egos into the mix, and passing meaningful legislation becomes an uphill battle.
Washington Republicans love talking about unity when it benefits them personally. The second primary voters or President Trump challenge their position, suddenly unity becomes optional. Funny how that works in the swamp.
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