Civil war brewing between House Republicans

Plus, Haley's bogus anti-union talking points and changing tides in the electoral map.

WHAT YOU MISSED

For its upcoming election cycle, Pennsylvania will require some 40,000 poll workers to execute a safe and fair voting process. Such liaisons will be needed for the 2023 municipal elections taking place on Nov. 7.

“Poll workers are our first, best defense against election fraud, anything that would cause disenfranchisement of voters,” Lauren Cristella, a League of Women Voters board member, said. “Fully-staffed, well-trained poll workers make voting easier for everyone. So, we took that as an important part of our mission, to make sure that these important roles are filled.”

A journalist found a document in a Congressional restroom yesterday that appears to be a motion to remove House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R) from his post. The piece of paper, discovered and posted by Capitol Hill reporter Matt Laslo, appears to be authored by U.S. Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-FL), though his office has not confirmed its authenticity.

According to reports within GOP corridors, McCarthy and Gaetz are at each other’s throats.

In the past, Gaetz has threatened to recruit both far-right representatives and Democratic colleagues to oust McCarthy — a situation that has been playing out since the former attempted to block the latter's speakership last year.

“If you think you scare me because you want to file a motion to vacate, move the f------ motion,” McCarthy allegedly said to Gaetz last week.

Congressional Republicans will need to stand united if they want to shut down the government over federal spending: The House needs to pass an appropriations bill by Sept. 30, or else all non-essential functions of federal agencies will have to be suspended. Republican strategists and elected officials alike view this as a way to undermine Joe Biden’s presidency as the 2024 election looms.

Gaetz isn’t the only one actively undermining McCarthy. A contemporary, freshman Rep. Victoria Spartz (R-IN), released a statement earlier this week calling McCarthy a “weak Speaker” who “cannot even commit to having a commission to discuss our looming fiscal catastrophe.”

“Our founding fathers would be rolling over in their graves to see how this institution is betraying our Republic for personal political ambitions and our children will be ashamed of another worthless Congress,” she concluded.  

Nikki Haley has decided to adopt a bold political strategy: Opposing incredibly popular social movements. In a recent Fox interview, Haley criticized President Biden for supporting striking United Auto Workers (UAW) on the grounds that it was a private sector matter and that the union's demands for a pay raise would hurt taxpayers(?)

“I'll tell you who pays for it is the taxpayers…The union is asking for a 40% raise, the companies have come back with a 20% raise. I think any of the taxpayers would love to have a 20% raise and think that's great. But the problem is we're all going to suffer from this. This is going to cause things to go up, and this is going to last a while,” Haley said.

Such rhetoric will definitely appeal to the 75% of Americans who side with the UAW’s demands to have a fair share of the massive profits that auto manufacturers are pulling in.  

Poll Watchers

While Donald Trump and the Republicans ostensibly have a built in advantage with the electoral college, recent polling analysis by The New York Times suggests that this handicap might be diminishing. When it comes to key states like Arizona, Georgia and Wisconsin, Biden is actually performing slightly better compared to the national average.

“In the sample of 774 respondents in the battleground states, Mr. Biden leads Mr. Trump, 47-43, compared with a 46-44 lead among all registered voters nationwide,” the Times explained. Meanwhile, it seems bluer states like New York may retract some (though not significant) of its support for Democrats in the upcoming election.

“Results like these in blue states will hurt Mr. Biden in the national polls and popular vote, but won’t do anything to hurt his chances in the Electoral College,” the Gray Lady concludes.