How Trump’s endorsements are shaping a future GOP Congress
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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.
