Our most recent book is titled Divided We Stand: The 2020 Elections and American Politics. Among other things, it discusses state and congressional elections.
Several Republicans in Congress who voted against a continuing resolution in September that included additional funding for the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) now face the threat of another catastrophic hurricane.LARA KORTE, MELANIE MASON and DUSTIN GARDINER at Politico:
...
Milton is forecast to hit Florida's western coast, then move across the state's peninsula before exiting on the eastern coast into the Atlantic Ocean by Thursday. The districts of several Republicans who voted against the continuing resolution are in the path of the storm, including Representatives Daniel Webster, Gus Bilirakis, Laurel Lee, Anna Paulina Luna, Cory Mills and Bill Posey. Others, like Representative Byron Donalds, aren't in the direct path but will likely experience some of the widespread effects of the storm, such as strong wind and heavy rain
To California Republicans, the bipartisan infrastructure law was “terrible,” “reckless” and “the last thing middle class families need.”
But once it opened a spigot of funding, they were eager to ask for the cash.
Four vulnerable House Republicans — Reps. Mike Garcia, Ken Calvert, David Valadao and Young Kim — all voted against the law in 2021, but subsequently lobbied the Department of Transportation for hundreds of millions of dollars for bus, road and other transit projects, according to letters obtained by Playbook.
The law, which passed with bipartisan support, is now seen as a signature legislative accomplishment of the Biden-Harris administration.
There’s a long tradition of squabbling over members who “vote no and take the dough.” Democrats say such actions are the height of hypocrisy, while some Republicans say once a bill becomes law, it’s their duty as a representative to try to secure a piece of the pie. Nay-voters are often dinged for publicly celebrating projects funded by legislation they opposed. But the missives from these four California Republicans reveal how the lawmakers actively angled for funds.
