David Valadao Of California

Only Two Senators And One House Member Who Voted For Impeachment Of Trump After January 6, 2021 Remain In Congress

Ronald 15 Comments

After the January 6, 2021 US Capitol Insurrection, incited by President Donald Trump, 10 Republicans in the House voted to impeach Trump, and 7 Republican Senators voted to convict Trump.

Sadly, as we face the Midterm Elections of 2026, only ONE House member, and only TWO Senators remain in Congress for the future, and one of the Senators, Susan Collins of Maine, faces a tough contest against Democrat Graham Platner, for her desired sixth term in the upper body.

David Valadao of California is running for reelection, and while the district lines are likely to change, due to the vote of Californians to promote redistricting to favor Democrats, it seems likely that Valadao will keep his House seat.

Senator Lisa Murkowski of Alaska does not face voters again until 2028, but having already beaten back an attempt to defeat her in 2010, when she lost the Republican primary, ran as an Independent, and still was elected again, as she was in 2016 and 2022.

Four of the other five Senate Republicans who voted to convict Trump all retired at the end of their term—Richard Burr of North Carolina in 2022; Patrick Toomey of Pennsylvania in 2022; Ben Sasse of Nebraska by resigining in 2023; Mitt Romney of Utah in 2024; and now Bill Cassidy of Louisiana has been defeated in the Republican primary yesterday.

This is a sad commentary on the reputation of the Republican Party, as Donald Trump works to wipe out the truth and the facts that led to the impeachment trial, and the first time to have multiple members of his party vote to convict and remove.

Are There Enough GOP Votes To Kill “Big And Beautiful Bill” Attack On Medicaid?

Ronald 19 Comments

It is still possible that a few Republican Senators and or Republican House members could kill the “Big and Beautiful Bill” of Donald Trump, and in the process, save Medicaid!

ALready, North Carolina Senator Thom Tillis and Kentucky Senator Rand Paul have made it clear that they will not support the legislation, Tillis because of the Medicaid cuts that would affect so many North Carolinians, and Paul, because he does not want to add trillions to the National Debt, already 36 Trillion!

But what about Alaska Senator Lisa Murkowski and Maine Senator Susan Collins, who have both expressed dismay at the Medicaid cuts, that would hurt so many of their constituents?

And also, similar thoughts have been expressed by Missouri Senator Josh Hawley, and also, to some extent, Kansas Senator Jerry Moran.

In the House of Representatives, with Nebraska Congressman Don Bacon deciding not to run again for his Omaha seat, and already seen as the most moderate, centrist Republican who might refuse to support such legislation, since his seat was won by Joe Biden in 2020 and Kamala Harris in 2024, there could be another vote.

California Congressman David Valadao has also spoken out against Medicaid cuts, and is one of two Republican Congressmen to have voted to impeach Donald Trump in the second impeachment effort following the January 6, 2021 US Capitol Insurrection.

Kentucky Congressman Thomas Massie and Ohio Congressman Warren Davidson haver voted against the House bill already, and New York Congressman Nick LaLota, Maryland Congressman Andy Harris, and Texas Congressman Chip Roy all have different reservations.

Also, the members of the Republican House Freedom Caucus are not guaranteed in any sense to support the complicated legislation.

This horror of a bill will do such heavy damage to the American people at large, while the corporations and Billionaires will gain major tax cuts that will add many trillions to the national debt.

It is a repudiation of much of the mid 20th century “Great Society” of President Lyndon B. Johnson, a totally horrendous attack on common decency and compassion for those among us less fortunate!

Republicans Who Abandoned Their Principles And Supported Mike Johnson As Speaker Of The House!

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This author and blogger wanted to give slack to 18 House Republicans whose districts voted for Joe Biden in 2020, but now realizes he was naive!

Many of these 18 House Republicans are part of the so called “Problem Solvers Caucus”, and yet, they voted unanimously for a hardline extremist right wing Speaker, Mike Johnson of Louisiana, who is more extreme than Kevin McCarthy, and similar to Jim Jordan, but with a more amenable personality, which effectively hides his extremist views!

So it is time to stop believing that there are any Republicans in the House of Representatives who can be trusted on doing what is proper and mainstream, and Democrats must work to defeat as many of these Biden district Republicans as possible in the upcoming Congressional Elections of 2024!

However, this author and blogger is particularly angry at the following:

Don Bacon of Nebraska
Brian Fitzpatrick of Pennsylvania
Tom Kean Jr of New Jersey
Mike Lawler of New York
Marc Molinaro of New York
Anthony D’Esposito of New York
Nick LaLota of New York
Brandon Williams of New York
David Valadao of California
Mike Garcia of California
Michelle Steele of California
Young Kim of California
John Duarte of California

So these New York and California Republicans, in particular, are on notice that they are in danger due to their support of a MAGA Republican for the Speakership of the House of Representatives!

Mainstream Conservative Republicans (Problem Solvers Caucus) Need To Unite Against Jim Jordan As Potential Speaker!

Ronald 1 Comment

The thought of Ohio Congressman Jim Jordan as the next Speaker of the House of Representatives should be enough to convince mainstream conservative Republicans to unite and prevent the horrors of a man fully backed by Donald Trump, and just about the most wretched member of the Republican Party, alongside Florida Congressman Matt Gaetz and Georgia Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene and Colorado Congresswoman Lauren Boebert.

The Problem Solvers Caucus is a group made up of moderate Republicans (32) and Democrats (31) who are rational players in the halls of Congress, loyal to their parties, but pragmatic and willing to “cross the aisle” to accomplish results.

Among those Republicans who can prevent a disaster are the following 14 members:

Don Bacon of Nebraska
Brian Fitzpatrick of Pennsylvania
Anthony D’Esposito of New York
Andrew Garbarino of New York
Nick LaLota of New York
Mike Lawler of New York
Marc Molinaro of New York
Thomas Kean Jr of New Jersey
Dusty Johnson of South Dakota
Mike Garcia of California
Young Kim of California
David Valadao of California
Tony Gonzales of Texas
Mike Gallagher of Wisconsin

Five of this group are from New York, and 3 from California, in districts that were won by Joe Biden in 2020.

If most of this group and some others united, they can demand that neither Jim Jordan nor Steve Scalise of Louisiana become Speaker, as one of these 14 would be a far better selection to promote unity, and insure that continued aid to Ukraine will flow!

Time For Bipartisanship To Keep Federal Government Operating

Ronald 1 Comment

The Republican controlled House of Representatives is proving its inability to operate the federal government, and holding Speaker of the House Kevin McCarthy hostage.

With only a five seat edge (222 Republican and 213 Democrats), the time has come for the small band of moderate, mainstream conservative Republicans to “cross the aisle” and work with Democratic Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, and take action this week to keep the government operating, and avoid the financial crisis and the mass damage that would do.

The extremist small band group of Republicans must be neutralized, and Republican members of the bipartisan “Problem Solvers Caucus” have the opportunity to demonstrate their commitment to stability and cooperation.

Officially, the Problem Solvers Caucus consists of 63 members of the 118th Congress, including 32 Democrats and 31 Republicans.

Among the Republicans seen as most engaged in promoting cooperation are :

Don Bacon of Nebraska
Anthony D’Esposito of New York
Brian Fitzpatrick of Pennsylvania
Andrew Garbarino of New York
Dusty Johnson of South Dakota
Thomas Kean Jr of New Jersey
Young Kim of California
Nick Lalota of New York
Mike Lawler of New York
Nancy Mace of South Carolina
Marc Molinaro of New York
David Valadao of California

If 6-10 of these or other Republicans work with the 213 Democrats, the government will avoid shutdown, and the mood is developing to have such cooperation, so let’s hope such a situation transpires.

Kevin McCarthy, as horrible as he is, would be likely to stay on as Speaker, but the Republican control of the House of Representatives, as fragile as it is, is likely to evaporate in 2024.

The New York members of the Republican group, including those mentioned above, are representing Biden won districts, and they are working to survive and keep their seats, which will be a tall order. The present Congress includes 18 Republicans who won districts Biden won in 2020, so a major challenge for those Republicans.