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House Republicans, on their heels after shutdown, now in position to add to majority House Republicans, on their heels after shutdown, now in position to add to majority
(about 7 hours later)
One year after plunging the country into what was then regarded as a near-apocalyptic 16-day shutdown of the federal government, House Republicans find themselves, improbably, in their strongest position politically since the earliest days of their majority in 2011.One year after plunging the country into what was then regarded as a near-apocalyptic 16-day shutdown of the federal government, House Republicans find themselves, improbably, in their strongest position politically since the earliest days of their majority in 2011.
With the shutdown fading against the backdrop of other domestic and global calamities, Speaker John A. Boehner’s gang has not only stabilized itself and patched up the self-inflicted wound that was the shutdown, but it also stands a good chance of expanding its majority in the Nov. 4 midterm elections. If all goes as Republicans hope, it could be the largest GOP majority since one of Boehner’s political heroes, Nicholas Longworth (R-Ohio), held the speaker’s gavel 85 years ago. With the shutdown fading against the backdrop of other domestic and global calamities, Speaker John A. Boehner’s gang has not only stabilized itself and patched up the self-inflicted wound that was the shutdown, but it also stands a good chance of expanding its majority in the Nov. 4 midterm elections.
The long-embattled Boehner (R-Ohio) finds himself in this position due to a combination of luck and resilience, as well as some significant missteps by his Democratic adversaries. It also helped that, to some degree, the notoriously contentions GOP rank and file decided to retreat from the spotlight and let the public anger toward Washington settle on President Obama. If all goes as Republicans hope, it could be the largest GOP majority since one of Boehner’s political heroes, Nicholas Longworth (R-Ohio), held the speaker’s gavel 85 years ago.
Democrats are doing their best to remind voters of Boehner’s first three years as speaker, which were marked by a repeated series of partisan faceoffs and showdowns that culminated in the shutdown that started Oct. 1, 2013. The long-embattled Boehner (Ohio) finds himself in this position due to a combination of luck and resilience, as well as some significant missteps by his Democratic adversaries. It also helped that, to some degree, the notoriously contentious GOP rank and file decided to retreat from the spotlight and let the public anger toward Washington settle on President Obama.
To mark the anniversary, Democrats unleashed a slew of new advertisements trying to refocus attention on last October’s ordeal, hitting GOP incumbents for taking their pay during the shutdown and for closing everyday services such as national parks. Democrats are doing their best to remind voters of Boehner’s first three years as speaker, which were marked by a repeated series of partisan faceoffs and showdowns that culminated in the shutdown that started Oct. 1, 2013. To mark the anniversary, Democrats unleashed a slew of new advertisements trying to refocus attention on last October’s ordeal, hitting GOP incumbents for taking their pay during the shutdown and for closing everyday services such as national parks.
“There is one thing voters remember above all else about this Republican Congress: One year ago tonight, House Republicans shut down the government for the first time in 17 years,” Rep. Steve Israel (D-N.Y.), chairman of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, said Tuesday in a statement. “There is one thing voters remember above all else about this Republican Congress: One year ago tonight, House Republicans shut down the government for the first time in 17 years,” Rep. Steve Israel (N.Y.), chairman of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, said Tuesday in a statement.
It’s hard to overstate just how much political damage Republicans appeared to be doing to themselves when they decided to force the government shutdown in a bid to compel Obama and congressional Democrats to delay funding for the implementation of their landmark health law, known as the Affordable Care Act. It’s hard to overstate just how much political damage Republicans appeared to be doing to themselves when they decided to force the government shutdown in a bid to compel Obama and congressional Democrats to delay funding for the implementation of their landmark health-care law, known as the Affordable Care Act.
Overall congressional approval sunk to 12 percent, according to a Washington Post-ABC New poll at the time, but the blame seemed to be falling overwhelmingly on Republicans. Almost 80 percent of voters disapproved of how Republicans conducted themselves during that budget showdown, including 59 percent who strongly disapproved.Overall congressional approval sunk to 12 percent, according to a Washington Post-ABC New poll at the time, but the blame seemed to be falling overwhelmingly on Republicans. Almost 80 percent of voters disapproved of how Republicans conducted themselves during that budget showdown, including 59 percent who strongly disapproved.
Internally, GOP lawmakers pointed fingers at Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Tex.) and a band of 20 to 30 House Republicans who aligned themselves with the most conservative activists. That group took control and drove the shutdown strategy, but the public seemed to be casting blame on the entire Republican establishment in Washington.Internally, GOP lawmakers pointed fingers at Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Tex.) and a band of 20 to 30 House Republicans who aligned themselves with the most conservative activists. That group took control and drove the shutdown strategy, but the public seemed to be casting blame on the entire Republican establishment in Washington.
At that moment, Democrats appeared well positioned to maintain their Senate majority — especially since some of the GOP’s top recruits against a handful of incumbent Democrats were House Republicans who backed the shutdown strategy. Moreover, despite the historical trend of the presidential party losing seats in a president’s sixth year in office, House Democrats felt they had a real chance at winning the majority in 2014 because the Republicans had so faltered with the shutdown strategy. At that moment, Democrats appeared well positioned to maintain their Senate majority — especially since some of the GOP’s top recruits against a handful of incumbent Democrats were House Republicans who backed the shutdown strategy.
The last time the government had been shuttered — multiple times during the winter of 1995-1996 during a showdown between House Republicans and the Clinton White House — voters were very unforgiving. Eighteen Republicans lost in November 1996 and then-Speaker Newt Gingrich (R-Ga.) clung to a slim majority only because Republicans won seats left vacant by conservative Democrats who retired. Moreover, despite the historical trend of the presidential party losing seats in a president’s sixth year in office, House Democrats felt they had a real chance at winning the majority in 2014 because the Republicans had so faltered with the shutdown strategy.
Back then, Gingrich was the driving force of all things in the GOP-led Congress, seizing power from committee chairman and charting the course on every showdown with President Bill Clinton. Along with a young newcomer named John Boehner — a junior member of Gingrich’s leadership team — Gingrich wrote the “Contract With America” and unveiled it 20 years ago last weekend on the House steps. The last time the government had been shuttered — multiple times during the winter of 1995-1996 during a showdown between House Republicans and the Clinton White House — voters were unforgiving. Eighteen Republicans lost in November 1996 and Speaker Newt Gingrich (R-Ga.) clung to a slim majority largely because Republicans won seats left vacant by conservative Democrats who retired or ran for higher office.
Gingrich was then the driving force of all things in the GOP-led Congress, seizing power from committee chairman and charting the course on every showdown with President Bill Clinton. Along with a young newcomer named John Boehner — a junior member of Gingrich’s leadership team — Gingrich wrote the “Contract With America” and unveiled it 20 years ago last weekend on the House steps.
It laid out the terms of battle for the 1994 midterms and set the stage for the government shutdown a year later.It laid out the terms of battle for the 1994 midterms and set the stage for the government shutdown a year later.
Clinton outmaneuvered Gingrich, who became so unpopular that the speaker became a constant target in Democratic political ads. Numerous Republicans saw their faces morphed into Gingrich’s on television screens that year, including Robert J. Dole (R-Kan.), the ex-Senate majority leader and 1996 GOP presidential nominee. Clinton outmaneuvered Gingrich, who became so unpopular that the speaker became a constant target in Democratic political ads. Numerous Republicans saw their faces morphed into Gingrich’s on television screens that year, including Robert J. Dole (R-Kan.), the ex-Senate majority leader and 1996 GOP presidential nominee. Republicans in swing districts told the embattled speaker to stay away.
Republicans in swing districts told the embattled speaker to stay away. Now, a year after the second GOP-led shutdown, Boehner finds himself in a different position. He has been the weakest speaker in decades but finds his internal political strength ticking upward at a time when other speakers hit their nadir; in the fourth year of their tenures as speaker, both Gingrich and Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) suffered setbacks. Gingrich was ousted from the post by fellow Republicans, and Pelosi presided over the loss of the Democratic majority.
Now, a year after the second GOP-led shutdown, Boehner finds himself in an entirely different position. He’s been the weakest speaker in decades but finds his internal political strength ticking upward at a time when other speakers hit their nadir; in the fourth year of their tenures as speaker, both Gingrich and Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) suffered setbacks. Gingrich was ousted from the post by fellow Republicans, and Pelosi presided over the loss of the Democratic majority.
Both were featured endlessly by the opposing party in those midterm campaigns.Both were featured endlessly by the opposing party in those midterm campaigns.
Today, Boehner is, at most, a minor figure in Democratic campaigns. In 15 ads highlighted Tuesday by Israel’s DCCC, not a single Democrat used Boehner’s image. Instead, the focus of almost every ad is on how the House Republicans shut down the government and continued to get paid.Today, Boehner is, at most, a minor figure in Democratic campaigns. In 15 ads highlighted Tuesday by Israel’s DCCC, not a single Democrat used Boehner’s image. Instead, the focus of almost every ad is on how the House Republicans shut down the government and continued to get paid.
“Lee Terry voted to shut down the government. That delayed the opening of a new veterans hospital in Omaha,” the narrator says in one DCCC ad running against the Nebraska congressman.“Lee Terry voted to shut down the government. That delayed the opening of a new veterans hospital in Omaha,” the narrator says in one DCCC ad running against the Nebraska congressman.
In the time since the shutdown, most House Republicans have embraced the strategy adopted by Boehner’s leadership team: First, do no harm. The agenda became the exact opposite of the “Contract,” abandoning hopes for the implementation of grand conservative ideas and instead focusing on a few small, achievable goals in a divided Congress. In the time since the shutdown, most House Republicans have embraced the strategy adopted by Boehner’s leadership team: First, do no harm. The agenda became the opposite of the “Contract,” abandoning hopes for the implementation of grand conservative ideas and instead focusing on a few small, achievable goals in a divided Congress.
Comprehensive immigration legislation was put on indefinite hold, the Ways and Means Committee was allowed only to unveil a “draft” of an overhaul of the tax code, and any talk of a big budget deal with the president has been quickly dismissed.Comprehensive immigration legislation was put on indefinite hold, the Ways and Means Committee was allowed only to unveil a “draft” of an overhaul of the tax code, and any talk of a big budget deal with the president has been quickly dismissed.
In the days following the reopening of the government last fall, public anger quickly transferred to the botched enrollment debut of the insurance exchange that is the heart of the new health law, putting Democrats on the defensive for months. In the days following the reopening of the government last fall, public anger quickly transferred to the botched enrollment debut of the insurance exchange that is the heart of the new health-care law, putting Democrats on the defensive for months.
This helped Republicans but did not entirely solve their problems. A Washington Post-ABC News poll taken last month found that just 21 percent of voters approve of the job done by congressional Republicans, the same number that approved of the GOP’s handling of the shutdown last fall.This helped Republicans but did not entirely solve their problems. A Washington Post-ABC News poll taken last month found that just 21 percent of voters approve of the job done by congressional Republicans, the same number that approved of the GOP’s handling of the shutdown last fall.
However, tempers have cooled. Now, just 47 percent “strongly disapprove” of Boehner’s majority, down from 59 percent a year ago.However, tempers have cooled. Now, just 47 percent “strongly disapprove” of Boehner’s majority, down from 59 percent a year ago.
The public ire, it seems, is directed more squarely at Obama now. That suits Republicans just fine. The public ire, it seems, is directed more squarely at Obama. That suits Republicans just fine.