GOP is a coalition of warlords as convoluted factions battle in civil war: analysis

Republicans won control of the U.S. House of Representatives during the 2022 midterms, but the infighting that has occurred as GOP leaders respond to the results has exposed unconventional divides in the party.

"The first skirmishes of the civil war to define the future of the Republican Party were fought this week across the sprawling corridors of the Capitol," Ben Jacobs reported for New York magazine. "With Donald Trump’s verbose announcement speech serving as an intermission, the leadership contest among House Republicans on Tuesday and Senate Republicans on Wednesday marked some of the initial cleavages within the party in the aftermath of a disappointing midterm election."

His report came the same day House Speaker Nancy Pelosi announced she would not seek a leadership position in the next Congress and would also forgo a 2024 re-election bid.

"Yet, unlike past intraparty wars, the battle lines are convoluted," Jacobs noted. "This is not a simple fight between the Establishment and the Tea Party or between Trumpers and Never Trumpers. Instead, the party is splintered not just by ideology but also by allegiance to Trump, which is under new strain. The result has been akin to a party full of warlords, each with seemingly divergent alliances to each other."

In the House, Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-FL) is trying to block GOP Leader Kevin McCarthy from staying in power, while his close ally, Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA) is backing McCarthy to be the next speaker. And in the Senate, Trump has long sought to oust GOP Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY).

"The GOP schism became even more confused on Wednesday morning when Senator Rick Scott mounted a quixotic effort to oust Mitch McConnell as Republican leader in what was the first contested vote for the position in over 25 years," Jacobs wrote. "The GOP may sort itself into neater ideological camps in the years to come with a meager and fractious majority in the House vying for power while a host of presidential candidates try to take down Trump."

In the immediate future, the battle for control of the GOP could have major ramifications in the Dec. 6 runoff election for U.S. Senate in Georgia, where former NFL star Herschel Walker is the Republican nominee challenging Democratic Sen. Raphael Warnock.

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"A GOP civil war is underway, and Republicans in Georgia are caught in the middle of the skirmish," Politico reported. "Dueling Republican factions are openly competing for relevance as a Dec. 6 Senate runoff approaches, arguing about which wing of the party is best positioned to help Herschel Walker net a victory."

On Thursday, it was announced there would not be a debate in the runoff election.

"Georgia GOP activists are worried about the potential effect of Donald Trump launching his 2024 run on Tuesday, an announcement that local party leaders fear could depress turnout among moderate Republicans — votes that Walker needs to beat Democratic Sen. Raphael Warnock, who finished just ahead of him in last week’s election," Politico reported. "Despite even some of Trump’s own allies urging him to delay an announcement until after the runoff election, Trump declined to wait."

CNN reported the Warnock campaign has launched a new ad showing Trump praising Walker.

"As Trump continues to speak, six words appear on screen to close the ad: 'Stop Donald Trump. Stop Herschel Walker.' And that’s it. That’s the whole ad," CNN reported. "It is, simply put, what Republicans have been openly worrying about – and why even many of those close to Trump wanted him to delay his campaign announcement until after the December 6 runoff between Warnock and Walker."

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