The Midterm Report: As Republicans scramble in the wake of an FBI raid, Democrats bet on historic bill
It’s telling that the biggest “win” for Republicans over the past two years was the loss of a second-generation politician from their own party.
(Credit: @OnePennsylvania/TWITTER)
In less than 85 days, Americans will take to the polls in what could either be a referendum on the Biden administration or a repudiation of former President Donald Trump’s stronghold on the Republican party.
As primary season nears its sunset, Democrats are celebrating the passing of a climate, tax and health-care bill, the Inflation Reduction Act. Meanwhile, Republicans are throwing spaghetti at the wall to see what sticks as GOP lawmakers and pundits try to do damage control after Trump’s home was raided by the FBI.
It’s telling that the biggest “win” for Republicans over the past two years was the loss of a second-generation politician from their own party.
The last two weeks have seen two of just ten U.S. House Republicans who voted to impeach the former president lose their primaries to Trump-backed candidates, one of whom—Washington state’s Joe Kent—has already vowed to impeach President Joe Biden in 2023 provided Republicans reclaim the House in November.
Rep. Jaime Herrera Beutler, who was first elected in 2010, lost her race by just 1,050 votes.
The same can’t be said for Liz Cheney, the Wyoming member of Congress who is serving as deputy chair of the House Select Committee to Investigate the January 6th Attack on the United States Capitol.
Cheney was censured by the Republican National Committee (RNC) in February in a resolution that stated that the RNC would “immediately cease any and all support” of the former vice president’s daughter as a consequence of her participation in the investigation into the insurrection.
But Cheney hasn’t completely ruled out continuing her political career. She told NBC's TODAY Show on Wednesday that she is thinking about primarying Donald Trump in 2024, and has said she will make a decision in the “coming months.”
In a concession speech late Tuesday evening, Cheney said: "I will do whatever it takes to ensure Donald Trump is never again anywhere near the Oval Office."
In the battleground state of Wisconsin, businessman Tim Michels, a Trump-backed candidate who repeats the former president’s lies about the 2020 election results, has won his primary for governor, beating out an opponent who was endorsed by the Republican Party.
The incumbent, facing off against Democratic Gov. Tony Evers, has referred to Michels as “the most extreme and divisive nominee possible, one that will tell Donald Trump anything just to keep his endorsement.”
Democrats have a point — Michels supports Wisconsin’s extreme abortion ban “that forces victims of rape and incest to carry pregnancies to term.”
And in Arizona, a 90-year-old former sheriff who received a presidential pardon from then-President Trump lost his third bid for a political comeback.
Joe Arpaio, known for pushing the infamous birther movement and for being convicted of criminal contempt of court in 2017, ran for mayor of Fountain Hills, Arizona.
Not only did Arpaio cost taxpayers $147 million to pay for his legal bills, the Associated Press reported that despite characterizing himself as the toughest sheriff in America, “his agency botched the investigations of more than 400 sex-crimes complaints made to his office.”
According to a 2012 lawsuit filed against Arpaio and the Maricopa County police department by the U.S. Department of Justice, Arpaio oversaw a system loaded with discrimination and human rights violations. The DOJ asserted that officers forced women to sleep in their own menstrual blood, ignored allegations of rape, and assaulted pregnant women in custody.
Just when it seemed like Pennsylvania U.S. Senate candidate Mehmet Oz’s campaign had hit rock bottom, the former talk show host posted a now-viral video complaining about the cost of crudite.
If that wasn’t out of touch enough with prospective voters, The Daily Beast reported this week that despite telling a supporter that he owns just two houses “to his knowledge,” public records show Oz actually owns ten properties.
In Alaska, a dark horse candidate has emerged as an early leader in the race to succeed long-time Congressman Don Young, who passed away earlier this year. Democratic candidate Mary Peltola has so far managed to garner nearly 10,000 more votes than John McCain’s former running mate, Sarah Palin.
While the race likely won’t be called until August 31, as mail-in ballots continue to be counted, whoever emerges victorious will be forced to run again in November to serve an entire term in Congress.