A small but significant number of moderate GOP lawmakers are plotting a path toward potentially working with Democrats to fund the government past Sept. 30 and combat a shutdown.
At least three Republicans — Reps. Mike Lawler (N.Y.), Don Bacon (Neb.) and Brian Fitzpatrick (Pa.) — have expressed an openness to joining Democrats in signing a discharge petition, a mechanism to force a vote on a measure against the wishes of the Speaker.
Four members of the bipartisan Problem Solvers Caucus introduced a bill Friday that reflects the group’s framework for a short-term stopgap funding measure. Fitzpatrick suggested Sunday that lawmakers could use a discharge petition to compel a vote on that legislation.
Five Republicans would need to join their party’s leaders in order to force action with Democrats.
There are 14 current Republicans in Congress whose district voted for Biden for President in 2020, so ar least those Republicans need to acknowledge that they can’t get too extreme if they hope to be reelected. Supporting a compromise measure that had bi-partisan support last time seems to be a slam-dunk win for them.
This tells you everything you need to know about how extreme most of the Republican party is. Just the idea of compromising with Democrats to maintain current funding levels and not shut down the government is enough to be seen as extreme.
They tried to oust him when he was doing what they wanted. Why is he even still trying to work with them?