Rep. Matt Gaetz’s ongoing battle with almost everyone not named Donald Trump has added a new GOP congressman into the mix.
On Sunday, CNN published a story about the behind-the-scenes moves orchestrated by House Speaker Mike Johnson and Rep. Max Miller of Ohio in order to convince Donald Trump to endorse incumbent Rep. Mike Bost of Illinois, who also happens to be an election denier.
Trump recently threw his support behind Bost, who is seeking a sixth term representing Illinois’ blood-red 12th Congressional District. But Bost is facing a serious primary challenge from former gubernatorial candidate and state legislator Darren Bailey, who has been boosted by the famously irritating Gaetz.
If there is any question whether or not the Florida congressman’s relentless attacks on his fellow GOP colleagues have left a bad taste in their mouths, Miller told CNN that Trump’s endorsement of Bost showed that “Matt [Gaetz] always finds himself on the wrong side of history. He wants more chaos. He has mommy and daddy issues to work out.” Fantastic stuff!
Gaetz responded by tweeting another news article, writing, “@RepMaxMiller says I have ‘mommy issues’ Does this seem like projection considering Max was accused of physically abusing his (much older) ex girlfriend?”
Miller then responded by tweeting out a story about the ongoing ethics investigation into Gaetz and allegations of sex trafficking, drug use, and underage participants, writing, “Do you really want to talk about age appropriate relationships @mattgaetz? Let’s ask your ex “girlfriend” what she thinks.”
There is no one to root for in this right-wing circular firing squad, as both men seem to be engaged in a “Who’s the bigger dirtbag?” fact-finding mission. Miller dropped his defamation lawsuit against former Trump press secretary Stephanie Grisham this past summer, and Grisham’s public statements about how abusive he was remain on the record. Meanwhile, Gaetz’s ethics investigation seems to just be heating up.
These warring men do share something in common: They continue to vie for Trump’s affection and support. Come to think of it, that seems to be the common thread between most dirtbags in public office these days.
The economy seems to be going great, but lots of voters still say they aren’t feeling it. So how should Democrats deal with this conundrum? On this week’s episode of “The Downballot,” communications consultant Anat Shenker-Osorio tells us that the first step is to reframe the debate, focusing not on “the economy”—an institution many feel is unjust—but rather on voters’ economic well-being. Shenker-Osorio advises Democrats to run on a populist message that emphasizes specifics, like delivering tangible kitchen-table economic benefits and protecting personal liberties, including the right to an abortion.
