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| By Anthony Adragna |
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With assists from POLITICO’s Congress team
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Former Rep. Matt Gaetz's (R-Fla.) many GOP critics have grown quieter since President-elect Donald Trump tapped him as attorney general. | Francis Chung/POLITICO | SOME OF GAETZ’S HOUSE ENEMIES FALL SILENT Plenty of rank-and-file House Republicans have been outspoken and critical of Matt Gaetz over the years. But many in that cohort have gone conspicuously quiet since President-elect Donald Trump tapped the Florida firebrand to be the nation’s top law enforcement official.
Multiple factors are at play here (not that many of the lawmakers want to talk about them). Some have been floated for various roles in the nascent second Trump administration, while others are eyeing new, Congress-adjacent opportunities that will draw on their relationships with both the administration and party leaders. Needling Gaetz’s nomination for attorney general won’t help any of them. Take the case of Rep. Garret Graves (R-La.), a top ally of former Speaker Kevin McCarthy (we probably don’t need to explain how deep the Gaetz-McCarthy feud went). The Louisianan, who is leaving Congress at the end of this term, referred to Gaetz as a “clown” after the ouster of McCarthy but pointedly declined to comment upon his nomination last week. Graves’ name was previously floated as a contender for Transportation secretary — though Trump tapped former Rep. Sean Duffy of Wisconsin on Monday. Graves told POLITICO on Tuesday he has “lots” of thoughts about Gaetz’s selection but “not that I want to share” publicly. Sen. Markwayne Mullin (R-Okla.), who has been floated for Interior or Veterans Affairs secretary, is also softening his tone on Gaetz a bit. Mullin has previously accused Gaetz of bragging about using erectile dysfunction medication and drinking energy drinks so he could “go all night,” and has brought up accusations that Gaetz slept with underage girls. (Gaetz has denied all of that.) Now, Mullin wants to see the House Ethics report on Gaetz and has said he has the “toughest road” to confirmation, but hasn’t ruled out voting for him. “I know what I've said about him was accurate,” Mullin said Tuesday. “Now, that doesn't mean that he's not qualified to be AG.” Some other past non-Gaetz fans worth highlighting:
- Retiring Rep. Patrick McHenry (N.C.): Gaetz derisively referred to the retiring North Carolinian as “speaker light” when he temporarily took over following McCarthy’s ouster, and the Florida Republican said he’d do “everything possible” to not empower McHenry. Asked if he had thoughts about the pick, the retiring McHenry told POLITICO flatly “no” without elaborating.
- Defeated Rep. Mike Garcia (Calif.): He likened Gaetz to a “Republican running with scissors,” and said his ouster of McCarthy was “like rooting for the iceberg when you’re standing on the Titanic.” But the California Republican, who just lost his reelection bid, has been quiet on the Gaetz pick as his name has been floated for various Trump administration roles. His office did not respond to a request for comment.
- House Armed Services Chair Rep. Mike Rogers (Ala.): The Alabama Republican famously lunged at Gaetz during the protracted battle to eventually pick McCarthy as speaker. Since then, he’s told POLITICO that the two “get along wonderfully” but Rogers — who was previously floated as possible Defense secretary pick — has been quiet since Gaetz got tapped as attorney general.
Still some vocal critics: A handful of House Republicans have reiterated past criticisms of the Florida firebrand following his selection for the post, such as Reps. Don Bacon (Neb.), Max Miller (Ohio) and Mike Lawler (N.Y.). Another reminder: Trump’s already tapped three House Republicans for senior administration posts — Reps. Elise Stefanik (N.Y.), Michael Waltz (Fla.) and Matt Gaetz (Fla.) — denting the GOP’s razor-thin majority. Senior House Republicans, including Speaker Mike Johnson, have implored Trump against picking any additional members of the GOP conference because of the tight margin. “He's already pulled a few really talented people out of the House. Hopefully, no more for a little while until special elections," said Majority Leader Steve Scalise (R-La.). Whether or not Republicans are willing to say it publicly, there's little love for Gaetz across the ideological spectrum in the House.
"In my friend circles on both sides of the aisle, I don't know a single person that holds him in high regard," said Rep. Dan Kildee (D-Mich.). — Anthony Adragna GOOD EVENING! Welcome to Inside Congress, the play-by-play guide to all things Capitol Hill, on this Tuesday, Nov. 19, where we’re bracing for some more long nights in the Senate.
| | | | A message from Comcast: Did you know that 90% of our smartphone data travels over WiFi, not cellular? Comcast operates the nation’s largest and smartest WiFi network, connecting over a billion devices each year. Unlicensed spectrum made available by the FCC is key to a fast and secure WiFi experience at home and on the go. Learn more. | | | THE GOP’S MASS DEPORTATION SPLIT Trump’s push to deport millions of undocumented immigrants is reviving one of the House GOP’s (and Texas’) most well-known rivalries: Rep. Tony Gonzales, the co-chair of the GOP Congressional Hispanic Conference, and House Freedom Caucus member Chip Roy. Gonzales sparked his fellow Texan’s ire after he went on TV over the weekend and warned that broad deportations would backfire, saying the focus should instead be on individuals who have previously committed crimes. But Roy quickly responded that “we must mass deport as the president campaigned upon.” But it’s not just the two Texans squabbling over the issue, underscoring the political lift Trump faces to get congressional buy-in. “I think most of us agree, let's at least focus on criminals. We’ve got 13,000 murderers on the list right now, right, and I think almost the same number for sexual assault. So I think we do feel like, let's get rid of the bad people,” centrist Rep. Don Bacon (R-Neb.) said.
Speaker Mike Johnson, asked on CNN, added that: “I think what the president is talking about is beginning with the dangerous persons that we know are here. There are criminals, known criminals.” But some conservatives, like Roy, want Trump to go further.
House Judiciary Chair Jim Jordan (R-Ohio) floated starting with undocumented immigrants who had criminal histories and those who had already been told by a judge they didn’t qualify to remain in the country. Jordan put the latter category at about 1.3 million people. “Where you go from there, I’m open to whatever the president wants,” Jordan said.
Meanwhile, we checked in with the House Republican who will be at the center of the funding debate: Rep. Mark Amodei (R-Nev.), who leads the Appropriations’ homeland security subcommittee.
“I don't know whether [the plan will be] expensive or cheap, probably nothing's cheap, but it's like, Okay, so what's that involved? Who are your targets? How are you gonna find them?” he said. “It's one of those things where it's like, well, since we're the Appropriations Committee, let's sit down and figure out what it's going to cost in the context of, there's a few more moving parts this time.” — Jordain Carney and Daniella Diaz
| | | | A message from Comcast:   | | | ALASKA MAKES ITS (RANKED) CHOICE Nearly two weeks after Election Day, the side in favor of keeping Alaska’s ranked-choice voting system moved into a narrow lead after the latest batch of counted ballots. One Alaskan, GOP Sen. Dan Sullivan, is not happy. “It is confusing,” Sullivan, who is up for reelection in 2026, told Inside Congress. “I'm in the business and I get confused by it — still. And it was hoisted on us. Nobody asked for it.”
Keeping the system could make Sullivan’s reelection bid more competitive, particularly if a strong contender like Democratic Rep. Mary Peltola — expected to lose her reelection bid — were to enter the race.
In Alaska’s system, the top four vote-getters in the initial round of voting move onto the general election, where voters rank them in order of preference. The candidate with the least votes is eliminated until someone gets a majority — with the voters of the eliminated contender being reassigned to their next preference. Advocates say the system helps reject more extreme candidates from both parties. Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) won reelection in 2022 under the new system over a more conservative, Trump-endorsed rival. She spoke out in favor of keeping the system in a television ad. More ballots are left to be counted in The Last Frontier, but those in favor of keeping the system are currently ahead — by just 192 votes. — Anthony Adragna
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Johnson offered some happy news to his GOP conference on Tuesday: Rep. GT Thompson (R-Pa.), chair of the House Agriculture Committee, had had a promising PET scan after being diagnosed with prostate cancer last December. “It seems like it's worked,” Thompson told Olivia, noting his chemotherapy at the start of this year was tough. “I had a PET scan early last week … and the technician that performed my one a year ago — which was not so good — she was all smiles this time. And then I got called from the doctor.” Dan Osborn has a new political project. Spotted: Former Vice President Dan Quayle on the Senate side. Raul Grijalva will run for a final term as top Democrat on the Natural Resources Committee amid health concerns. Two chiefs of staff fall in love in the House. Spotted: Mark Warner and Abigail Spanberger in deep, animated conversation on the House side. More literal hotdish from the Minnesotans out there. Former House Appropriations Chair Kay Granger had her portrait unveiled. QUICK LINKS A California Republican won a seat he didn’t want. Now taxpayers are paying for a new election, from Ryan Sabalow in The Associated Press House GOP discusses banning transgender women from Capitol women’s bathrooms, from Anthony and Jordain Hacker Is Said to Have Gained Access to File With Damaging Testimony About Gaetz, from Robert Draper at the New York Times Erika Donalds, congressman’s wife and DOE foe, floated as possible Trump cabinet pick, from Melanie Payne in The Florida Trident Opinion: I sleep in my office. The rest of Congress should, too, opinion by Buddy Carter in The Washington Post RFK Stadium bill passed by Senate committee, clearing hurdle for Commanders' potential D.C. return, from Chris Bumbaca in USA Today. Local Washington officials brace for four years of playing defense against Trump, from Ashraf Khalil at the AP TRANSITIONS Sen. Mike Lee is planning to bring on Wendy Baig, his chief counsel on the Judiciary Committee, as staff director for the Energy Committee, his office confirmed to our Josh Siegel. Baig has been with Lee on Judiciary since 2019 and was formerly executive director of the Senate Steering Committee when Lee was chair.
| | | | A message from Comcast:
Did you know that 90% of our smartphone data travels over WiFi, not cellular? With over a billion devices connected to our network, we know how important WiFi is to our digital lives. Comcast continues to innovate to maximize our superior broadband network and the unlicensed spectrum that is critical to fast and seamless WiFi at home and on the go.
Comcast is introducing its newest gateway, the XB10, the first to incorporate the latest generation of our network with WiFi 7 and AI technologies. The XB10 will be capable of delivering multi-gig download and upload speeds over WiFi and simultaneously power 300 connected devices in the home. Learn more. | | | TOMORROW IN CONGRESS The House and Senate are in session. WEDNESDAY AROUND THE HILL 10 a.m. House Homeland Security Committee holds a hearing entitled "Worldwide Threats to the Homeland." (Cannon 310) 10 a.m. Senate Judiciary Committee holds a hearing on pending judicial nominations. (Dirksen 226) 10 a.m. Senate Appropriations Committee holds a hearing entitled “A Review of Disaster Funding Needs.” (Dirksen 106) 2:15 p.m. Reps. Pressley, Clyburn, Scanlon, Omar et al on President Biden’s clemency authority. (House Triangle)
| | MONDAY’S ANSWER: Robb Temple was first to identify Wendell R. Anderson as the Minnesota governor who appointed himself to the Senate — but later lost his bid for a full term. TODAY’S QUESTION, from Robb: Which former president holds the record for the most Cabinet nominations rejected by recorded vote? The first person to correctly guess gets a mention in the next edition of Inside Congress. Send your answers to insidecongress@politico.com. GET INSIDE CONGRESS emailed to your phone each evening. | | | |
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