Republicans are increasingly concerned that the controversy over Rep. Marjorie Taylor Green (R-Ga.) May define the party and its candidates in mid-2022, making it a key part of the Republican Party’s efforts to regain support. of suburban voters.
Democrats have already jumped into the outrage surrounding Greene. The Democratic Congress Campaign Committee on Tuesday launched a six-figure ad campaign linking Republicans to QAnon’s conspiracy theory, to which Greene has expressed support in the past, while President Nancy Pelosi
Nancy Pelosi: Missouri man seen with Pelosi’s license plate loaded in connection with a Capitol riot Republicans worry about Greene dragging party in suburbs Claudia Tenney wins race at New York home MORE (D-California) refers to Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy
Kevin McCarthy Republicans worry about Greene dragging the party into the suburbs. Claudia Tenney wins New York House race for new Democratic super PAC to address swing district Republicans during vote to cancel MORE elections (R-California) as “Q-CA” in a Wednesday press release.
On Thursday, Democratic group House Majority Forward released an announcement accusing McCarthy of warmly embracing the “QAnon Caucus,” after the California Republican told him he would not go on to punish Greene for his previous comments.
“I do not think anyone will vote against it Brian Kemp
Brian Kemp: Republicans Worry Greene Could Drag Party to Suburbs Pass Rescue Law, with or Without Republican Stacey Abrams Nominated for Nobel Peace Prize MORE so this woman said in the past, but will it be used to try to paint a picture that is negative? Yes, ”said Chuck Clay, a former president of the Republican Party of Georgia.
The first strategy shows that Democrats are looking to get ahead in what will likely be tight mid-term elections. The party has narrow majorities in the House and Senate. And historically, the party that controls the White House has lost seats in the first mid-term elections of the administration.
Both sides see the suburbs in particular as crucial in their efforts to win. Republicans fought to gain the favor of voters in suburban enclaves across the country thanks to the ancients President Trump
Donald TrumpTwitter permanently suspends Gateway Pundit founder’s account, Wyoming Republican Party censors Cheney for Trump’s ouster vote Trump’s access to intelligence briefings will be determined by officials, according to the White House : report MORElow favorability ratings in these areas.
Now, while Democrats want to make Greene the face of his party, he has aligned himself even more with Trump. At a press conference on Friday, he argued that the party “belongs to him,” which will likely feed some Republicans’ concerns about the party’s chances in the suburbs toward 2022.
“It’s part of the Republican conference, a famous part now. That can’t be good for Republicans, ”said Bill Kristol, a conservative critic of President Trump and director of Defending Democracy Together.
Others say the controversy surrounding Greene amounts to a nuisance for the party, which is working to navigate Washington in its new minority status.
“It’s a distraction. It’s something you don’t necessarily want to deal with, ”said Jay Williams, a Republican strategist based in Georgia.
Greene has expressed support for the far-right conspiracy theory QAnon and has suggested that several school shootings and 9/11 terrorist attacks were organized. The video appeared late last month of Greene, after shooting at school, David Hogg, a Parkland survivor and activist.
In addition, CNN discovered several Facebook posts last month that appeared to show that Greene was expressing his support for violence against Democrats before running in Congress. Greene described the network’s reports as “successful.”
Despite intense backlash against Democrats and some Republicans against Greene, McCarthy refused to take Greene’s committee assignments during a closed-door Republican conference meeting Wednesday.
The House voted Thursday 230-199 to remove Greene from his committee duties, eleven Republicans join the Democratic ranks to take action against the first-term congresswoman.
Despite the small sample of bipartisanship, most Republicans, including the president of the GOP Caucus Liz Cheney
Elizabeth (Liz) Lynn CheneyThe Wyoming Republican Party censors Cheney for Trump’s vote on the removal of Republicans. Republicans worry about Greene dragging party into suburbs Sunday’s preview: budget resolution paves the way for a $ 9 trillion stimulus; The Senate is preparing for a MORE indictment trial (Wy.), Voted against the measure, but condemned Greene’s previous comments.
Democrats quickly rushed to Republicans after the vote, and Pelosi’s office issued a statement titled “GOP quickly transforms into GQP with strong support for Greene.”
The controversy seems to have cost Greene in the national favorability ratings. A FiveThirtyEight poll released Friday showed Greene with a 15% favorable rating and a 37% unfavorable rating.
But Greene looks different in the decidedly conservative 14th Congress district he represents in Georgia. He first qualified for the Republican primaries in June and won 14 points over a Republican neurosurgeon in the second phase.
Republicans say the backlash against Greene may not ultimately damage the party’s chances of regaining the House next year, which would only be based on gains made in 2020.
“That’s not how they look at it,” Kristol said. “They won seats in 2020. They don’t think they’re in horrible shape.”
But others argue that Republicans lost key Senate-level voting groups in states like Georgia as a result of conspiracy theories about the outcome of the presidential election.
“It was false conspiracy theories that cost us the runoff from Georgia, and Greene doesn’t help,” said a Republican strategist working in the Senate race. “Look, it’s not a problem for Republicans. People will not base their vote entirely on a freshman. But candidates will be asked and it is not useful.
Republicans say Greene lacks the power and influence to influence Congress, adding that it will likely not be a major issue for candidates in 2022 given the ever-changing nature of the news cycle.
“They’re trying to make it sound like Kevin McCarthy. It’s not the same,” Williams said. “She is not the president or the leader of the minority. She is this first year member.
“Two years ago we didn’t even have a coronavirus, man. It will be a totally different world [by the time the midterms come around],” added.