House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy is campaigning among his fellow Republicans to be the next speaker of the House … but first Republicans need to hold onto their majority. No majority, no speaker, no promotion for McCarthy or—barring a coup—anyone else. To get his promotion, McCarthy is first trying to protect that majority (and gather some IOUs) by raising vats of money and criss-crossing the country campaigning for House candidates.
He claims to be confident:
“This could be a tornado, but it won’t be a wave,” he said. “A tornado touches down in spots. A wave crashes over everybody.”
So far, the tornado has hit in special elections for Alabama Senate, Pennsylvania’s 18th Congressional District, and in elections for 43 state legislative in states including Wisconsin, Missouri, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Virginia, Connecticut, and more. That means this particular tornado has touched down for seats up and down the ballot and in red states, blue states, and purple states. Quite a not-wave going on there.
He acknowledges Republicans face head winds but sees a manageable problem — one, he says, that can be solved with a heavy focus on women, the college-educated and seniors.
Has McCarthy looked at the polling? Women aren't looking so hot for Republicans this year. College-educated voters either.
There’s a lesson here for Democrats, though. Republicans, with all their money and their dirty tricks, aren’t complacent. But they also aren’t looking at the poll numbers and the special election results and giving up. They’re fighting—with the money and the dirty tricks—to the bitter end. We have to do the same.