'They have no leverage': This Republican had an ulterior motive for supporting the Biden infrastructure bill

Speaking with Axios about her decision to break ranks and vote for the historic $1.2 trillion infrastructure bill passed by the House late Friday night, one GOP lawmaker stated she had an ulterior motive that went beyond filling a need for infrastructure projects in her district and across the country.

In interviews with Axios, several of the thirteen GOP lawmakers who crossed the aisle to vote for the bill -- and thus hand President Joe Biden a victory -- were asked why they bucked the majority of their party -- a decision that infuriated Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA) who called them "traitors."

Rep. Don Bacon (R-NE) noted he had a hand in crafting the bill before admitting it was in his best interest -- and the best interests of his constituents -- to see the bill passed.

Speaking with Axios, he remarked, "I helped draft this bill. To do a flip wouldn't have been appropriate. Wouldn't have been right," adding, "You vote one way, maybe it hurts in the primary. You vote the other way... in my district, it'd hurt me in the general."

Freshman Republican House member Nicole Malliotakis (R-NY) admitted she was taking the long view and attempting to cripple the influence of the "Squad" -- six progressive Democrats, including Reps, Alexandria Cortez (D-NY) and Rashida Tlaib (D-MI) among others.

"I weakened their hand. They have no leverage now," Malliotakis explained before adding, "I voted against AOC and the squad tonight."

According to Andrew Sollender of Axios, Malliotakis "told Axios that progressives will no longer be able to hold the bill hostage and predicted Build Back Better will be 'drastically weakened' in the Senate or 'die altogether' as a result of the infrastructure bill passing."

The report notes that six Democrats who voted "no" were "Ayanna Pressley of Massachusetts; Rashida Tlaib of Michigan; Ilhan Omar of Minnesota; Cori Bush of Missouri; Jamaal Bowman and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York."

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