How Trump’s endorsements are shaping a future GOP Congress
Donald Trump is using the power of his endorsement not only to punish "disloyal" House Republicans but reward members of the chamber's most conservative Republican groups.
Why it matters: The former president's support for more than 20 incumbent re-election bids highlights his efforts to reshape the House Republican conference in his image, through midterms that could thrust the GOP back into power a year from now.
- That would stymie Democrat-led investigations into the Jan. 6 insurrection and Trump's own presidency.
- It also would boost his own potential presidential campaign in 2024.
The Republican Study Committee, a conservative group boasting a membership of three-quarters of all House Republicans, has proved a guide for Trump’s endorsements.
- Nearly all the House incumbents he’s endorsed are members of the group.
- The powerful group often dictates the tenor of the conference's messaging. Its chair, Rep. Jim Banks (R-Ind.), has sketched out an electoral strategy for the GOP.
- It involves courting Trump voters some Republicans find "distasteful."
A third of recipients also are members of the hard-right Freedom Caucus, whose scorched-earth tactics have made it a natural ally for Trump.
- At just over 40 members, the Freedom Caucus comprises around one-fifth of the overall House Republican conference.
- Trump has endorsed Freedom Caucus Reps. Mary Miller (R-Ill.) and Alex Mooney (R-W.Va.) against fellow Reps. Rodney Davis (R-Ill.), a member of the moderate Republican Governance Group, and Rep. David McKinley (R-W.Va.), who voted for the infrastructure bill.
- Trump also has endorsed Freedom Caucus Reps. Ted Budd (R-N.C.), Mo Brooks (R-Ala.) and Jody Hice (R-Ga.) in their bids for statewide office.
Just one Trump endorsee, Rep. Michael McCaul (R-Texas), is a member of the Governance Group.
- The group's leader, Rep. John Katko (R-N.Y.), drew Trump’s wrath by voting to impeach him in January; McCaul also is a member of the Republican Study Committee.
- Trump hasn't endorsed any members of the Problem Solvers Caucus, a group of 29 Democrats and 29 Republicans that backed the $1.9 trillion infrastructure package.
- The former president has derisively dubbed it the “Unfrastructure Bill."
- Trump has gone so far as to openly solicit challenges against Republicans who voted for impeachment and the infrastructure bill, on Monday encouraging a primary challenge against Rep. Don Bacon (R-Neb.). He voted for the bill but not impeachment.
In a snub of House Democrats’ reprisals, as well as a show of his priorities, Trump has issued endorsements for some of the House’s most prominent right-wing provocateurs at the height of their controversy.
- He endorsed Rep. Lauren Boebert (R-Colo.) a day after the House passed an anti-Islamophobia bill widely viewed as a rebuke of her inflammatory rhetoric toward Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.).
- Trump also endorsed Rep. Paul Gosar (R-Ariz.).
- That too came a day after the House censured him and stripped him of his committee assignments for posting an anime video depicting violence against Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.). and President Biden.
Flashback: Trump has already thrown his political power behind right-wing House insurgents challenging “disloyal” Republicans, as Axios reported.
Editor's note: This story has been updated to clarify that Rep. Don Bacon (R-Neb.) voted for the bipartisan infrastructure bill but not the impeachment of former President Trump.