Category: Politics

Incumbents Are Getting Wiped Out In Primaries At Historic Levels

Posted on by Becky Noble

Something incredible is happening so far in the 2022 Congressional races.

So far this year, 2022 has seen the second-highest number of incumbent House members losing their primaries since 1948. Only 1992, the eve of the Republican Revolution of 1994, saw more incumbents get dumped in primaries.

While this may not seem surprising given disastrous polls for President Biden and a supermajority of Americans disapproving of the direction of the country, many other election years have seen similar dissatisfaction without a large scale dumping of incumbents. 

Keep in mind: according to a Pew Research report, in 2020, the reelection rate for House members was nearly a whopping 95%.

RELATED: FBI Agent Accused By Whistleblowers Of Shielding Hunter Biden Resigns, Escorted From Building: Report

Trump Influence

One reason behind the shift is none other than President Donald Trump, who has laid waste to incumbent Republicans who voted to impeach him.

The most shocking example happened in Wyoming. Liz Cheney, daughter of former Vice President Dick Cheney, was completely blown out of the water by Trump-backed challenger Harriet Hageman. 

Despite being political royalty in the state, Cheney was trounced by over 30 points. 

Trump-backed challenger John Gibbs defeated Rep. Peter Meijer, who was first elected just two years ago. 

In Washington, America First candidate Joe Kent defeated Rep. Jamie Herrera Beutler. And so it goes.

Of the ten House members who voted to impeach Donald Trump, only two remain in the running for their respective districts. Four are retired or not running for reelection, and four lost their primaries.

But the same thing is happening on the left, with a struggle for power between liberals and the far-left.

RELATED: Washington D.C. Delays Enforcement Of Student Vaccine Mandate After Mass Noncompliance

Trouble For All

With roughly two months to go before the election, Republicans have some work to do.

With predictions of a red November as basically a done deal for Republicans, the recent win in a special election in New York’s 19th Congressional District by Democrat Pat Ryan over Republican Dan Molinaro should be a wake up call for the GOP.

Ryan had been behind by double digits in a few polls in the lead up to the election. But the poll on election night was the one that counted, and Democrats won.

The problem for Democrats, trying to distance themselves from Joe Biden and his record.

Several Democrat campaign ads have the candidate touting their breaking away from Biden and the Democrat Party on issues like taxes and defunding the police.

But as Biden and other White House officials hit the campaign trail to explain their legislative victories, candidates in tight races might just be stuck with Joe Biden tagging along for the ride.

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House Republicans Demand DOJ, FBI Preserve Documents In Relation To FBI Raid On Trump

Posted on by Rusty Weiss

House Republicans on Monday sent letters to top officials in the Biden administration demanding they preserve and hand over documents related to the FBI raid on former President Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago home.

Eighteen Republicans on the House Judiciary Committee sent the letters to Attorney General Merrick Garland, FBI Director Christopher Wray, and White House Chief of Staff Ron Klain.

“The FBI’s unprecedented raid of President Trump’s residence is a shocking escalation of the Biden Administration’s weaponization of law-enforcement resources against its political opponents,” each letter begins.

“The American people deserve transparency and accountability from our most senior law-enforcement officials in the executive branch,” it continues. “We will settle for nothing but your complete cooperation with our inquiry.”

The correspondence demands that each department preserve “all documents and communications” related to the raid and produce them to the committee “no later than 5:00 p.m. on August 29, 2022.”

RELATED: Republicans Demand Garland Brief Homeland Security On Trump FBI Raid, Slam ‘Politically Motivated Witch Hunt’

Republicans Demand FBI, DOJ Preserve and Release Documents

The letters from House Republicans to Biden administration officials demanding they preserve and release documents related to the unprecedented raid on the President’s main political opponent are more symbolic for the time being.

The GOP does not have subpoena power as the minority in the House of Representatives.

Still, the move signals an intensification of possible probes into the matter should the GOP win back the House following the midterms.

The letters come just days after Senator Chuck Grassley (R-IA) vowed that the Senate would investigate the raid should Republicans wrestle back control in November.

“If I’m in the majority, and I’m Chairman of the Judiciary Committee, again, I intend to pursue all of these things until we get to the bottom of it,” Grassley told Breitbart News over the weekend.

RELATED: ‘Preserve Your Documents’: McCarthy Threatens AG Merrick Garland With Investigation After FBI Raid Of Trump’s Home

Demand a Briefing From DHS

Republican lawmakers late last week demanded a Homeland Security briefing by the FBI, Department of Justice, and National Archives following news that Garland gave a personal greenlight to the raid on Trump’s home.

But, as Fox News host Jesse Waters pointed out to Senator Lindsey Graham (R-SC) – Republicans like to talk a lot about what they’re going to do regarding the unprecedented harassment directed at Trump, but will they actually take action?

Democrats certainly would. They threatened impeachment for months upon months then acted when they found the first opening. Then they did it again.

And quite obviously, the harassment has never ended.

House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy was one of the first to call for a probe into Garland’s actions, saying on the very day of the raid that he had “seen enough.”

“Attorney General Garland, preserve your documents and clear your calendar,” he wrote.

Democrats have countered the GOP’s efforts with Intelligence Committee Chair Adam Schiff (D-CA) and Oversight Committee Chair Carolyn Maloney (D-NY) sending their own letter to Director of National Intelligence Avril Haines.

That letter seeks a national security damage assessment on the documents seized from Mar-a-Lago.

Trump has claimed all documents in his Mar-a-Lago home were “declassified” and insisted officials “didn’t need to ‘seize’ anything. They could have had it at any time.”

The FBI under the direction of Garland fetched the documents – including ancillary material such as Trump’s passports that they have since returned – and now the Democrats are going to use them to investigate the former President yet again.

Do Republicans understand they need to be equally as relentless in order to stop this level of corruption?

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Republican Lawmakers Say Trump Is ‘Fired Up,’ And Made Up His Mind About 2024 Following FBI Raid

Posted on by Rusty Weiss

All signs are pointing to former President Trump being even more “fired up” about running in 2024 following the FBI raid on Mar-a-Lago earlier this week.

Representatives Jim Banks (R-IN) and Claudia Tenney (R-NY) were two of nearly a dozen members of the House Republican Study Committee who huddled with Trump at a New Jersey retreat earlier in the week. Both left with impressions on the 2024 presidential election.

Banks indicated that the FBI raid hadn’t dampened Trump’s spirits. 

“He didn’t seem defeated in the least bit—he was very fired up, very upbeat,” he told Fox News.

Banks added that the incident seems to have accelerated the former President’s desire to announce a decision on a 2024 campaign and that “we are going to like his decision.”

RELATED: Trump Speaks: Angrily Condemns ‘Political Persecution’ As FBI Raids Mar-a-Lago

FBI Raid May Have Motivated Trump to Run in 2024 Even More

Rep. Claudia Tenney also seemed to indicate Trump’s spirits were alive and well following the FBI raid.

Tenney thanked the likely Republican nominee for his continued support and endorsement in her congressional district following her visit to Trump National Golf Club at Bedminster.

And if you thought he was down following the raid, she says best think again.

“Thrilled to report he’s feeling better than ever despite the Democrats’ endless smears against him,” she wrote. “Trump 2024!”

Tenney, in an interview on Real America’s Voice, said the actions taken by the FBI and DOJ amounted to the “fourth impeachment” of President Trump.

“They’re going to try to attempt to stop him from running for president,” Tenney said. “And that’s really what it’s about. Because they’re afraid he will get out there and he will run and he will win.”

RELATED: After FBI Raid, Trump Fires Back With Epic New Video Promising ‘The Best Is Yet To Come’

When Will He Announce?

In a statement following the FBI raid, Trump himself concurred that the weaponization of the Justice Department was an attempt to stop him in 2024.

“It is prosecutorial misconduct, the weaponization of the Justice System, and an attack by Radical Left Democrats who desperately don’t want me to run for President in 2024 …” he said.

Trump, as The Political Insider reported, had made up his “own mind” about running last month, though the timing of an official announcement was still up in the air.

Some had suggested committing to a run prior to the midterms might negatively affect races by stirring up Democrat turnout.

Banks, however, suggested Trump “enjoyed encouragement” from the House Republican Study Committee to “get the decision out sooner rather than later.”

“He only helps us win back more seats in November,” Banks insisted. “The Republican Party is bigger and stronger than ever before because of Donald Trump’s leadership.” 

The former President does seem further motivated by the FBI raid, as do his supporters.

As is characteristic of his personality, Trump came out swinging immediately following this week’s events with an ad posted to his Truth Social media account.

“We are a nation that in many ways has become a joke,” Trump said in the ad. “But soon we will have greatness again.”

In it, he predicts that “the best is yet to come.”

Becky Noble of The Political Insider notes that the FBI raid may have backfired on Democrats for 2024.

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“If his enemies thought he was defeated,” she wrote, “they were wrong.”

Added Banks, “What happened at Mar-a-Lago unifies Republicans in our outrage … and we stand with President Trump.”

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Judge Who Signed Mar-A-Lago Warrant Defended Jeffrey Epstein Employees, Donated To Obama

Posted on by Becky Noble

The details of Monday’s FBI raid on Mar-a-Lago, the Florida home of former President Donald Trump, keep getting more interesting.

Bruce Reinhart, the federal magistrate judge who signed off on the search warrant for Trump’s residence donated to former President Barack Obama’s presidential campaign, and at one point, went from prosecutor to defense attorney to defend individuals connected to financier and convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.

RELATED: Another Republican Who Voted To Impeach Trump Goes Down – Trump Mocks Her For ‘Stupidly Playing Into Democrats’ Hands

The Judge In Question

According to a report from Politico, Magistrate Judge Bruce Reinhart is ‘highly regarded’ in the Palm Beach legal community, and is known for being “meticulous” in his work. 

Reinhart’s background was in prosecution until Jan. 2 2008, he became the defense counsel representing several employees of Epstein, including pilots, his scheduler, and a woman later described by some of Epstein’s victims as a “sex slave.”

Politico reports that in 2011, Reinhart was named in a lawsuit and was accused of violating Justice Department policy by representing the Epstein employees. Reinhart has denied any wrongdoing. He said that he was not a part of the criminal case and did not learn any confidential information while serving as prosecutor.

RELATED: Teachers Union President Randi Weingarten Claims Conservatives The Enemy Of Educators

More Details Of The Raid Emerging

Fox News reports that the search warrant issued for Mar-a-Lago was to focus entirely on “presidential records and evidence of classified information being stored there.” 

The Fox News report also says that agents combed through former First Lady Melania Trump’s wardrobe and the private office of the former president. Drawers were also gone through and a safe broken into.

Reportedly, the FBI or DOJ did not allow attorneys for Trump into the residence to observe what was going on during the roughly nine-hour raid. About 15 boxes were taken from a locked private storage basement area.

Federal agents also reportedly attempted to get Trump representatives to turn off any security cameras which they refused to do.

RELATED: Why Are Lawmakers Continuing To Push For A Digital Dollar? Look To China

Who’s Next?

Republicans didn’t have to wait long for the answer to the question “who’s next.” The day after the Mar-a-Lago raid, Rep. Scott Perry (R-PA), chairman of the House Freedom Caucus and a close Trump ally, said his cellphone was seized by FBI agents while on vacation with his family.

In a statement, Perry said,

“This morning, while traveling with my family, 3 FBI agents visited me and seized my cell phone. They made no attempt to contact my lawyer, who would have made arrangements for them to have my phone if that was their wish. I’m outraged — though not surprised — that the FBI under the direction of Merrick Garland’s DOJ, would seize the phone of a sitting Member of Congress.”

Perry has refused to cooperate with the Jan. 6 Committee on several occasions, calling it “illegitimate,” and also filed articles of impeachment against Attorney General Merrick Garland in October of 2021 in relation to targeting parents at school board meetings.

With judges like Bruce Reinhart at the ready, perhaps Republicans should keep asking who’s next.

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Another Republican Who Voted To Impeach Trump Goes Down – Trump Mocks Her For ‘Stupidly’ Playing Into Democrats’ Hands

Posted on by Rusty Weiss

Representative Jaime Herrera Beutler, one of 10 House GOP lawmakers who voted to impeach former President Donald Trump, was forced to concede defeat in her primary race in Washington state’s 3rd Congressional District.

“Though my campaign came up short this time, I’m proud of all we’ve accomplished together for the place where I was raised and still call home,” she said in a statement.

Still, Beutler (WA) appeared content with her decision to vote for Trump’s impeachment based on his alleged role in the January 6 riot at the Capitol.

“I’m proud that I always told the truth, stuck to my principles, and did what I knew to be best for our country,” the soon-to-be former congresswoman said.

RELATED: Trump Celebrates Defeat of Rep. Peter Meijer, Who Voted For Impeachment: ‘7 Down, 3 to Go!’

Rep. Jaime Herrera Beutler Falls After Impeachment Vote

Jaime Herrera Beutler fell to Army Special Forces veteran Joe Kent, who received the endorsement of the former President and has been making a huge splash among America First conservatives.

Kent claimed he would be victorious in his race because “people are still furious” that Herrera Beutler voted to impeach Trump.

Now, she has become the first incumbent to be defeated in the 3rd Congressional District since 1994, ending her six-term House career.

Trump took to his Truth Social media platform to celebrate Kent’s victory and take a little jab at Jamie Herrera Beutler for her impeachment vote.

“Joe Kent just won an incredible race against all odds in Washington State,” he said in a statement. “Importantly, he knocked out yet another impeacher, Jaime Herrera Beutler, who so stupidly played right into the hands of the Democrats.”

RELATED: Liz Cheney’s Primary Opponent Harriet Hageman Mocks Her For Support From ‘Pretend Rancher’ Kevin Costner

Seven Down, Three to Go

Jamie Herrera Beutler joins seven other Republicans who voted to impeach Trump and subsequently put their careers on the scrap heap of political history.

Last week, as The Political Insider reported, Representative Peter Meijer lost his Michigan primary battle against John Gibbs. Gibbs, an official who served within the Trump administration, had the backing of the former President.

Meijer, like Beutler, did “not for a second” regret his impeachment vote, a personal stand which might get you a recurring contributor role on CNN but doesn’t make you suited as a Republican representative in Congress.

Additionally, Tom Rice was soundly defeated in the Republican primary for South Carolina’s 7th District in June, and Adam Kinzinger (IL), Anthony Gonzalez (OH), Fred Upton (MI), and John Katko (NY), all decided to flee Congress after voting to impeach Trump.

That’s seven down and three to go.

Next on the chopping block may very well be Wyoming Representative Liz Cheney, who has abandoned all pretense of even trying to win her primary next week, instead promoting her work on the January 6 anti-Trump committee and trotting out her even more unpopular father, Dick Cheney, to help prop her up.

The New York Times notes that Cheney has essentially abandoned Wyoming voters while polls show her “losing badly to her rival, Harriet Hageman, Mr. Trump’s vehicle for revenge.”

The two Republicans who voted to impeach and have thus far survived are Representative Dan Newhouse (R-WA), who managed to advance to the general election, and Representative David Valadao (R-CA), who fended off a primary challenge in June.

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Trump Speaks: Angrily Condemns ‘Political Persecution’ As FBI Raids Mar-a-Lago

Posted on by Rusty Weiss

Former President Donald Trump slammed never-ending “political persecution” by Democrats as he confirmed his Mar-a-Lago home in Florida had been raided by the FBI.

“These are dark times for our Nation, as my beautiful home, Mar-A-Lago in Palm Beach, Florida, is currently under siege, raided, and occupied by a large group of FBI agents,” Trump said in a statement released Monday evening.

“Nothing like this has ever happened to a President of the United States before.”

CNN reports that the FBI raided Trump’s Mar-a-Lago home as part of an investigation into the handling of possible classified documents that may have been brought there.

RELATED: Report: Biden Justice Department Criminally Investigating Trump ‘Effort to Overturn Election’

Trump’s Mar-a-Lago Home Raided by FBI

The National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) said in February that Trump earlier this year had to return 15 boxes of documents that were improperly taken from the White House.

The FBI appears to be pursuing concerns of classified materials in the home of former President Trump, something that they provably dismissed and allowed Hillary Clinton to do when she served as Secretary of State.

Trump blasted the raid and suggested it was part of a coordinated weaponization of federal government agencies to stop him from running for President in 2024.

“Such an assault could only take place in broken, Third-World Countries,” he stated. “Sadly, America has now become one of those countries, corrupt at a level not seen before.”

“The political persecution of President Donald J. Trump has been going on for years, with the now fully debunked Russia, Russia, Russia Scam, Impeachment Hoax 11, Impeachment Hoax #2, and so much more, it just never ends, it is political targeting at the highest level!”

RELATED: Report: Whistleblowers Allege ‘Scheme’ by FBI, DOJ to Suppress Negative Information About Hunter Biden Before 2020 Election

Supporters Come out in Droves

Numerous supporters of former President Donald Trump gathered outside his Mar-a-Lago home after news had spread of the FBI raid.

Several suggested the raid was a political move by the Department of Justice to prevent Trump from running again in 2024. Others simply concurred that it was political persecution.

“As soon as I saw it, I drove here from Tampa. This is nuts,” one man who had driven across the state told Fox News. “We all know what you’re trying to do, DOJ. You’re trying to create some kind of charge so he’s not going to be able to run for reelection.”

“They’re going to do anything they can to get him. They’re terrified of him,” another claimed.

A White House official claimed President Biden was not given advance notice of the FBI raid.

Lara Trump offered commentary hinting that the siege on Mar-a-Lago was more to do with the left and the establishment’s hatred of the former President.

“They detest Donald Trump, not just on the Democrat side, but the general establishment, because he’s not one of them, because he doesn’t play their game,” she said.

Lara Trump warned that if the Justice Department and the FBI are willing to do this to a former President, “think about what they could do to you.”

The Political Insider reported on Monday that the so-called Inflation Reduction Act passed by Senate Democrats over the weekend adds $80 billion to the IRS budget for enforcement purposes.

That budget would unleash roughly 87,000 new IRS auditors.

Matt Schlapp, the chairman of The American Conservative Union, says the FBI raid on Mar-a-Lago demonstrates the Biden administration has converted the United States into a Third World country.

“President Biden’s politicized FBI just raided President Trump’s home in Mar-a-Lago,” he wrote. “This nation is becoming unrecognizable. Biden has successfully transformed America into a third-world country.”

Schlapp notes that a CPAC Texas straw poll shows respondents believe the greatest threat to America right now comes from within.

According to that poll, 91% of attendees believe the greatest threat to America is “internal forces such as the Deep State, public education and the mainstream media,” while just 8% pointed to “external forces such as Russia, China, Iran, and North Korea.”

The Political Insider reports that beyond the investigation of classified documents, the Justice Department is also investigating Trump as part of a criminal probe into “efforts to overturn the 2020 election results.”

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MAGA Victory: Trump-Endorsed Kari Lake Wins Contentious Arizona GOP Gubernatorial Primary

Posted on by Becky Noble

Former President Trump’s track record of endorsing winning candidates kept going this week, as former news anchor and journalist Kari Lake won a close race in Arizona’s Republican gubernatorial primary. The race between Lake and Karrin Taylor Robson remained too close to call until Thursday, two days after election day, when the Associated Press called the race for Lake.

Lake will now go on to face Arizona Secretary of State Katie Hobbs in the general election in November. 

RELATED: Whoopi Goldberg Claims God Giving People ‘Freedom Of Choice’ Shows He Supports Abortion

Razor Thin Race

While mail-in ballots coming in prior to election day gave Robson an early lead, election day polling place results and Maricopa County releasing the results of their mail-in ballots gave Lake the win.

The race became a referendum of sorts between Lake, a Trump-endorsed candidate, and Robson, who was endorsed by former Vice President Mike Pence, current Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey, and former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie.

Trump candidates were victorious in many Arizona races including Senate, Secretary of State, Attorney General, U.S. House seats, and State House seats. Arizona was a crucial spot in the 2020 election, and will certainly be again in 2024.

Lake has been very outspoken on her views of the 2020 election. She has stated that she would decertify Joe Biden’s 2020 win in Arizona, saying, “He lost the election, and he shouldn’t be in the White House.”

Lake has also not been afraid to dish back to left leaning media outlets what they attempt to dish out.

RELATED: After Getting Verbal Lashing From Comedian-Turned-Activist Jon Stewart, Senate Passes Veterans Burn Pit Legislation 86-11

Latest Round Of Primaries Go Well For Trump Candidates

Tuesday night’s latest round of primaries was a good one for Trump endorsed candidates. In addition to Arizona, candidates in Michigan did well.

Rep. Peter Meijer, one of a handful of House Republicans to vote to impeach President Trump, lost his primary race to former Trump administration official John Gibbs. 

Those who voted for impeachment are being picked off one by one with Meijer being the latest. Trump took to his own social media platform Truth Social and wrote, “Not a good time for Impeachers – 7 down, 3 to go!” Tudor Dixon won the GOP gubernatorial primary and will face Gov. Gretchen Whitmer in November.

Nationwide, it was a good night to be a Trump candidate. Of the 42 endorsements Trump gave in this most recent round of primaries, 32 won their respective races, and some may still be pending. 

RELATED: DeSantis Suspends State Attorney For Refusing To Prosecute Violations Of Florida’s 15-Week Abortion Ban

Democrats Bracing Themselves For November

For Democrats, election night this fall could look a lot like Tuesday. Democrats have pinned their hopes on things like the overturning of Roe vs. Wade and the Jan. 6 hearings, however those are not priorities for Americans. Soaring inflation and high gas and food prices are.

Joe Biden’s consistently low approval numbers have Democrats saying out loud that they do not want him to run again in 2024, and many shy away from inviting him on the campaign trail with them. 

Another takeaway from Tuesday night’s primaries: while Democrats and the media try to downplay Donald Trump’s influence over the Republican Party, there is no mistaking that it is very much in play. Biden’s unpopularity coupled with Trump’s winning track record could be a lethal combination for Democrats.

Several more states have primaries in the coming weeks, including Wyoming, where Liz Cheney trails her opponent, Harriet Hageman by roughly 20 points. “Number 8” for Trump could be waiting in the wings.

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Trump Celebrates Defeat of Rep. Peter Meijer, Who Voted For Impeachment: ‘7 Down, 3 to Go!’

Posted on by Rusty Weiss

Representative Peter Meijer lost his Michigan primary battle against John Gibbs Tuesday, leading former President Donald Trump to celebrate the defeat of yet another Republican who voted in favor of his impeachment.

Meijer, who voted in favor of establishing a bipartisan commission to investigate the Capitol insurrection and said prior to the primary that he does “not for a second” regret his impeachment vote, conceded to Gibbs early Wednesday morning.

Gibbs, an official who served within the Trump administration, had the backing of the former President and received a congratulatory phone call following the victory.

“I’ll see you soon,” Trump told him. “I’m very proud of you. That’s a great job.”

RELATED: Three Republicans Who Voted to Impeach Trump Over Capitol Riot Fight For Their Political Lives in Tuesday’s Primaries

Peter Meijer Suffers Defeat, Trump Celebrates

Gibbs had described the primary defeat of Peter Meijer as “a battle for the heart and soul of the Republican party,” noting that the Republican congressman “betrayed his voters” by voting in favor of impeachment just days after being sworn into Congress.

Nobody could have been happier about the result than Trump.

“Fantastic night in Michigan! Tudor Dixon will be a great Governor. John Gibbs WON with a big surge in the end,” he wrote on his Truth Social media platform. “Not a good time for Impeachers – 7 down, 3 to go!”

Dixon also earned an endorsement from the former President and will now face Democrat incumbent Gretchen Whitmer in the gubernatorial race in Michigan following her primary win.

“Endorsements don’t get any more powerful or conclusive than the Endorsements of last night,” Trump wrote in another post. “I wonder if anyone will write or report that? Just asking?”

Meijer joins Representatives Tom Rice, who was soundly defeated in the Republican primary for South Carolina’s 7th District in June, and Adam Kinzinger (IL), Anthony Gonzalez (OH), Fred Upton (MI), and John Katko (NY), who all decided to flee Congress after voting to impeach Trump, as six of the “7 down” referenced by the former President.

Trump may be counting on Liz Cheney’s (WY) ouster as well, as she trails her opponent by 22-points in a primary scheduled less than two weeks away.

RELATED: Liz Cheney’s Primary Opponent Harriet Hageman Mocks Her For Support From ‘Pretend Rancher’ Kevin Costner

Trump Still Holds Power in the GOP

While the rate of impeachment voters being ousted from Congress is fairly high, it hasn’t been perfect.

Representative David Valadao (R-CA) fended off a primary challenge in June, though Trump did not endorse any candidate in the race.

Meanwhile, Representatives Jaime Herrera Beutler (R-WA) and Dan Newhouse (R-WA) managed to earn a place amongst the top two in their district’s crowded fields, besting their Trump-backed opponents and meaning they will survive and advance to the general election.

Still, as Fox News reports, Tuesday’s results show Trump’s “immense grip over the Republican Party remains firm.”

They cite as further evidence victories by Blake Masters, who won the GOP Arizona Senate primary, and Mark Finchem, who won the Republican nomination for Arizona Secretary of State.

Masters moves on to Democratic Senator Mark Kelly in November in a key battleground state race that may determine if Republicans are able to win back the Senate majority.

Kari Lake, the Trump-backed former TV news anchor leads her primary for Governor of Arizona, though the results are still too close to call.

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Three Republicans Who Voted to Impeach Trump Over Capitol Riot Fight For Their Political Lives in Tuesday’s Primaries

Posted on by Rusty Weiss

Three Republican lawmakers who voted in favor of impeaching Donald Trump for his alleged role in the January 6th riot at the Capitol will face primary challenges on Tuesday.

Representatives Peter Meijer (R-MI), Jaime Herrera Beutler (R-WA), and Dan Newhouse (R-WA), will all be fighting for their political lives against primary opponents who have the backing of the former President.

Meijer, who voted in favor of establishing a bipartisan commission to investigate the Capitol insurrection and said he doesn’t regret his impeachment vote, “Not for a second,” will face off against Trump-endorsed John Gibbs in Michigan’s 3rd Congressional District.

“This is a battle for the heart and soul of the Republican party,” Gibbs told the Washington Post. “What’s happening in my race is similar to what’s going on in the rest of the country. People feel the party isn’t representing what they want.”

 

RELATED: Pelosi Considering More Anti-Trump Republicans For January 6 Committee After Rejecting GOP Picks

Republicans Who Voted to Impeach Trump Face Difficult Primaries

Beutler and Newhouse, who also voted to impeach Trump, will be facing difficult primaries as well Tuesday. The two, like Meijer, voted in favor of establishing an independent commission to investigate the January 6 riot at the Capitol.

Beutler will be going up against several opponents in Washington’s 3rd Congressional District primary, including Army Special Forces veteran Joe Kent who received the endorsement of the former President.

Kent claims momentum in his race because “people are still furious” that she voted to impeach Trump.

 

Newhouse meanwhile, said his impeachment vote was due to Trump’s “inaction” during the riot and added that “our country needed a leader, and President Trump failed to fulfill his oath of office.”

He faces former police chief Loren Culp in Washington’s 4th Congressional District primary. Culp also received an endorsement from the likely 2024 Republican presidential nominee. The two will be facing six other nominees (5 Republicans and 1 Democrat).

“Having the endorsement of President Trump is huge,” Culp said.

 

RELATED: Here’s The List: The 9 Republicans Who Joined Democrats In Voting to Hold Steve Bannon In Contempt

Bad Track Record For Those Who Voted to Impeach

If history is any indicator, those Republicans who voted to impeach President Trump are going to struggle in their respective primaries.

Just over one month ago, Representative Tom Rice was soundly defeated in the Republican primary for South Carolina’s 7th District. Rice lost to Russell Fry, the South Carolina State House’s majority whip who earned Trump’s endorsement, doubling up his votes.

 

Another impeacher, Wyoming’s Liz Cheney, is trailing her primary opponent, Harriet Hageman, a Wyoming attorney who has the backing of Trump, by a whopping 22 percentage points.

 

Never Trump Republican Adam Kinzinger (R-IL) announced months ago that he was leaving Congress.

Representatives Anthony Gonzalez (OH), Fred Upton (MI), and John Katko (NY) have also decided to flee Congress after voting to impeach Trump.

The post Three Republicans Who Voted to Impeach Trump Over Capitol Riot Fight For Their Political Lives in Tuesday’s Primaries appeared first on The Political Insider.

Liz Cheney Says She’ll Make a Decision on Running For President in 2024 ‘Down the Road’

Posted on by Rusty Weiss

Representative Liz Cheney, the rabid anti-Trump vice chair of the House select committee investigating the Capitol riot, says she hasn’t made a decision on running for president in 2024 but would do so “down the road.”

CNN’s Jake Tapper asked the Wyoming congresswoman if she was “willing to run for President to try and stop” former President Donald Trump.

“At this point, I have not made a decision about 2024,” Cheney replied. “I’ll make a decision on 2024 down the road.”

Cheney suggests she is more focused on her work with the select committee, something she believes is “the single most important thing I’ve ever done professionally.”

 

RELATED: Report: Never Trumpers Kinzinger, Hogan, And Cheney Could All Run Against Trump In 2024

Will Liz Cheney Run For President in 2024?

The entire segment discussing Liz Cheney’s 2024 prospects is unintentionally amusing. Sure, the dueling sad eyes battle – meant to convey just how serious they both are between Tapper and Cheney – is hilarious.

But the concept that Cheney would run for President after being ousted from her leadership position by her own party due to her antics, and now facing a huge polling deficit in the upcoming primary for Wyoming’s lone U.S. House seat in three weeks, is equally outrageous.

 

She’s about to get slaughtered at the ballot box for her congressional seat but she’ll somehow use that to catapult into the White House in 2024?

Cheney might get a handful of Democrat voters dismayed with their own party and unwilling to switch sides but it’s not going to be enough to even make a dent.

She’s been banking on that segment of the vote in Wyoming, The Political Insider has previously reported. But trailing by 22% seems to indicate it’s not nearly enough to propel her to victory.

Democrats don’t care about the anti-Trumpers – Cheney and Representative Adam Kinzinger (R-IL) – except to create the illusion that their pursuit of the January 6 investigation is ‘bipartisan.’

Kinzinger had to learn that the hard way as well when announcing his retirement after Illinois Democrats used redrawn district lines to eliminate him from contention, despite his time serving as their puppet for the J6 committee.

 

RELATED: Cheney Must Count On Anti-Trump, Democrat Votes For Re-election After Wyoming GOP Abandons Her

Cheney’s Folks Like Her ‘Prospects’

An Associated Press report from March indicates that both Liz Cheney and Adam Kinzinger are sending out feelers regarding a White House run in 2024.

Kinzinger, they write, is “considering a rough timeline for a potential presidential announcement,” while associates of Cheney are “openly talking up her White House prospects.”

 

“Their goal would not necessarily be to win the presidency,” the AP added. “Above all, they want to hinder Trump’s return to the White House.”

A noble cause… in their own minds.

The Political Insider reported back in April that Cheney refused to rule out a future run for President of the United States when asked.

“I’m not ruling anything in or out — ever is a long time,” she said.

Trump, who just overwhelmingly won a straw poll conducted by the conservative student activist group Turning Point USA on who they’d like to see represent the GOP in 2024, has little to worry about should Cheney mount a campaign.

Cheney’s most prolific voices of support appear to be Democrats on the select committee, Kinzinger, and noted Republican squishes John Boehner, Paul Ryan, and George W. Bush.

The post Liz Cheney Says She’ll Make a Decision on Running For President in 2024 ‘Down the Road’ appeared first on The Political Insider.