Moderate Republicans Reportedly In Danger Ahead Of Midterms, Facing Tough Re-Election Battles
Moderate, centrist Republicans are in danger ahead of this fall’s midterms, and facing tough re-election battles, according to The Hill.
With the Republican Party gradually devolving into the Party of Donald Trump, and with a potential Democratic blue wave threatening to wipe out a large chunk of Republican centrists, politicians like Brian Fitzpatrick of Pennsylvania, Mike Coffman of Colorado, and Leonard Lance of New Jersey are awaiting tough political battles.
Some of the Republican Party’s moderate voices, like Ryan Costello and Charlie Den of Pennsylvania, and Ileana Ros-Lehtinen of Florida have given up, deciding not to face re-election.
Costello told The Hill that the U.S. political environment is currently “nasty,” so moderate Republicans — especially those in competitive seats — have gotten “the worst of it.”
“The atmospherics are against Republicans. But there are many battle-tested Republicans that possess the acumen to pull through,” he said.
“I think most would agree with me when I say that for every seat we lose in the House, the center of gravity in the conference moves right,” Costello said.
Leonard Lance of New Jersey, for instance, joined a handful of Republican senators in calling for an FBI investigation of sexual assault allegations made against Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh.
“Dr. Ford’s testimony yesterday was credible and believable. But I also found Judge Kavanaugh to be credible in his own defense,” Lance said. “It’s in the best interest of the nation that a full and thorough examination by federal law enforcement of these serious charges against Judge Kavanaugh occurs.”
Midterms put GOP centrists in peril https://t.co/JIfrJE2BIj pic.twitter.com/0jFMcKgw6e
— The Hill (@thehill) October 1, 2018
But, The Hill notes, it is exactly taking public stances against the mainstream narrative within the Republican Party that could jeopardize Lance’s chances in November’s midterms, with Trump-focused Democrats galvanized by the resurrection of the Me Too movement.
About a dozen of Republican moderates are facing tough re-election races: Carlos Curbelo of Florida, Will Hurd of Texas, Jeff Denham of California, John Karko of New York, Tom MacArthur of New Jersey, and Midwest representatives Rodney Davis and Fred Upton.
Former Democratic Congressman Charles Rangel recently opined that President Donald Trump has “destroyed” the Republican Party, further polarizing the American society as a whole, as the Inquisitr reported.
This sentiment is shared by many on the left — even some right of center — who claim that Republican candidates across the United States are seeking President Trump’s endorsement ahead of midterms, and therefore remain hesitant to step out of line, since Donald Trump is known for forcing critics to leave the scene, according to the Wall Street Journal.
