Despite President Donald Trump’s efforts to endorse and unseat opponents of his America First agenda in the U.S. House, including representatives who voted with Democrats to impeach him over claims he incited violence in January 6, House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy is actively fundraising for many of President Trump’s opponents, raising around half a million dollars for them.
McCarthy’s inappropriately named “Take Back the House 2022” committee has raised $100,000 each for Reps. Jaime Herrera-Beutler of Washington state, John Katko of New York, and both Fred Upton and Peter Meijer of Michigan, who all voted to bring impeachment charges against President Trump in the United States Senate.
At least one of these candidates has two pro-Trump challengers. Herrera-Beutler, the establishment Republican incumbent in Washington state, faces insurgent challenges from Joe Kent – a veteran of the United States armed forces whose wife died in service to her country – and Heidi St. John, a legend in the homeschool community who has opposed left wing school curriculum and fought for parents’ rights to determine how their children should be educated for years. (READ MORE: Tucker Carlson Reveals That Kevin McCarthy Secretly Lives In Apartment With Anti-Trump Pollster Frank Luntz)
President Trump recently endorsed Kent’s bid to replace Herrera-Beutlerm in a move that received praise from America First political pundits. However, it seems McCarthy favors the establishment incumbent over America First challengers.
Thus far, McCarthy has yet to render aid to Reps. Liz Cheney of Wyoming, Adam Kinzinger of Illinois, Anthony Gonzalez of Ohio, Dan Newhouse of Washington state, or Tom Rice of North Carolina, who also voted to impeach President Trump, though McCarthy’s Majority Committee PAC donated $10,000 to Gonzalez’s campaign in March. However, in the case of Cheney, McCarthy’s aid may not be necessary.
As National File reported last week, President Trump was coaxed into endorsing attorney Harriet Hageman, who was described to National File as Cheney’s “best friend forever.” Hageman also worked for Cheney as a political advisor in 2013, and was part of the “Free The Delegates” movement in 2016 that sought to strip President Trump of his 2016 Republican nomination for president. (READ MORE: Fair Market Rate? Kevin McCarthy Is Paying $1,500 To Live In Frank Luntz’s Palatial 7,000 Sq Foot Penthouse Apartment)
McCarthy, meanwhile, seems to believe his style of leadership – advancing the will of establishment Republicans over the overwhelmingly pro-Trump Republican base – will pay off. In May, he visited with Joe Biden and asserted that no one questions the “legitimacy of the [2020] presidential election,” and predicted that he will be made Speaker of the House after the 2022 midterm elections.
