Yesterday, a new report from Axios highlighted that the NRSC and Senate Republicans “are again facing the risk of problematic candidates emerging in must-win races.”
In the key battleground states of Arizona, Ohio, Pennsylvania, West Virginia and Montana, “the mood of the GOP base is squarely behind the most intemperate right-wing voices.” These include failed gubernatorial candidates Arizona’s Kari Lake and Pennsylvania’s Doug Mastriano, who currently lead in Republican primary polling.
“No matter how hard they try, the NRSC can’t get rid of the extreme MAGA Republicans who represent their base,” said American Bridge 21st Century spokesperson Aidan Johnson. “Mitch McConnell and Steve Daines might wish that these candidates would disappear, but by putting their thumb on the scale, the Washington establishment has all but guaranteed another round of ugly, contentious Republican primaries. Good luck to ‘em!”
Axios: Senate GOP’s 2024 landmines
By: Josh Kraushaar | March 12, 2023
Key Points:
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“Senate Republicans have been gifted a historically favorable map for 2024, but they are again facing the risk of problematic candidates emerging in must-win races.”
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“In Montana, potential Senate candidate Rep. Matt Rosendale (R-Mont.) posed with a neo-Nazi group while walking between congressional hearings this month. He later apologized for not recognizing the group’s affiliation. Rosendale, one of the final holdouts against House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, is closely allied with the deep-pocketed Club for Growth.”
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“In Ohio, Club for Growth president David McIntosh has urged Rep. Warren Davidson (R-Ohio) to run for Senate against Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio). Davidson, a Freedom Caucus member, is viewed by GOP leaders as less electable than other prospective candidates.”
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“In Pennsylvania, far-right 2022 gubernatorial nominee Doug Mastriano is exploring a possible run for Senate against Sen. Bob Casey (D-Pa.). Daines encouraged former hedge fund executive David McCormick to run at last month’s NRSC retreat and later publicly slammed Mastriano as unelectable: ‘We need somebody who can win a primary and a general election. His last race demonstrated he can’t win a general,’ Daines told HuffPost.”
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“In Arizona, Kari Lake is seriously considering a Senate campaign against Sen. Kyrsten Sinema (I-Ariz.) and Democrat Ruben Gallego after losing her 2022 governor’s race. Lake was the featured dinner speaker at CPAC, where she was enthusiastically greeted (and won the VP straw poll). She continues to deny that she lost her election and that Trump lost in 2020.”
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“And in West Virginia, if Justice runs against Manchin, he would still face a competitive primary against Freedom Caucus member Rep. Alex Mooney (R-W.Va.). Trump endorsed Mooney for the House last year but also has a good relationship with Justice.”
Read the full report here.
Published: Mar 13, 2023 | Last Modified: Feb 1, 2024