'Insane': Some RNC members are furious Trump is pitting Republican against Republican
According to a report from Politico, the decision by the RNC to censure Reps. Liz Cheney (R-WY) and Adam Kinzinger (R-IL) is not sitting well with all members, with one claiming Trump's vendetta against them and some other Republicans over his second impeachment could cripple their midterm chances.
With conservative outsiders such as Steve Schmidt hammering the censure vote, tweeting out, "The message that the RNC is sending today is that there is no room for dissent or truth in the cause of taking power. They are making clear that there will be punishment and retribution for the free thinkers and truth tellers," Politico's Davis Siders and Natalie Allison report that some close to the RNC are angry that the Republican Party is engaging in an internal civil war during an important election year.
In a tweet, former RNC political director Mike Duhaime wrote, " The RNC is insane if it censures @RepKinzinger and @RepLizCheney . The party that long valued individuality and differences of opinion now demands fealty to the election results lie. And it stupidly keeps the focus Trump instead of Biden."
According to the Politico report, Trump's war on those two lawmakers is not the only problem that is bedeviling the Republican Party as they look toward recapturing the House and possibly the Senate in November.
"For all the energy he [Trump] creates at the party’s grassroots, his stranglehold on the party is emerging as one of the biggest threats to the GOP’s otherwise bright prospects in November," the Politico report states. "He has already singled out 10 House Republicans for extinction. He is attacking GOP governors and backing their primary challengers, while meddling in Senate races where it may lead to the nomination of flawed candidates who are ill-suited for a general election. He is fomenting a rebellion against the party’s Senate leader, Mitch McConnell. And this week, in Salt Lake City, it was David Bossie, the former Trump deputy campaign manager, who was leading the effort to kick Cheney and Kinzinger to the curb."
Bill Palatucci, a Republican National Committee member from New Jersey, expressed his frustration with Trump's meddling, telling Politico, "Some of us who have been around for a while don’t think this makes any sense.”
He added, "We’ve got Biden in free fall, [Democrats] can’t get anything done in Washington, and for us to convene a circular firing squad, that makes no sense to me.”
Palatucci also criticized the party for shelling out close to $1.6 million to pay the former president's ever-growing legal fees, telling Politico that that money would be better put to use getting more Republicans elected.
“Privately, there’s a lot of consternation among members,” Palatucci admitted. “Almost all of us this year have key races, either for the statehouse or for House or Senate — $1.6 million would go a long way in a bunch of states.”
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