Republican lawmakers who voted for the Democrats’ infrastructure bill were scrutinized by former President Trump after the liberal legislative agenda was passed.
According to Trump and other GOP supporters, the lawmakers had the power to stop the passage of the bill when the required number fell short; however, these House Republicans opted to give Democrats the numbers they wanted.
RINOs who supported the infrastructure bill gave Democrats breathing space
On Sunday, Trump said Republicans in Name Only (RINOs) present in both the House and the Senate gave Democrats much-needed relief by voting for the infrastructure bill.
Likewise, Trump singled out Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell for giving Biden breathing space by voting for the infrastructure bill at the expense of the GOP’s interest.
House Republican lawmakers who helped Biden actualize his economic agenda include the following: Don Bacon, Adam Kinzinger, Brian Fitzpatrick, David McKinley, Don Young, Anthony Gonzalez, Jeff Van Drew, Chris Smith, Fred Upton, Tom Reed, Andrew Garbarino, Nicole Malliotakis, and John Katko.
Matt Gaetz, a Florida congressman, mentioned several of John Katko’s votes and criticized him for voting against the GOP’s interest.
The GOP leadership knew ahead of the vote many House members could break ranks to vote in Democrats’ favor; therefore, they warned everyone against doing this ahead of the vote.
Kevin McCarthy, the House Minority Leader, labeled the bill as “reckless spending” and advised Republicans not to vote for it.
Similarly, Marjorie Taylor Greene, a far-right congresswoman, warned GOP lawmakers that anyone voting for the bill would face voters’ wrath. Likewise, she also tweeted the phone numbers of Republicans who voted for the bill, alongside their names, so voters could get the real picture.
Meet the 13 Republicans who voted for the infrastructure bill https://t.co/6jp6w2shIN #FoxBusiness
— Tammy Bruce (@HeyTammyBruce) November 8, 2021
13 Republicans did in one meeting what 221 Democrats failed to do in months
Democrats tried their luck again and again on the stalled infrastructure bill, seeking to convince the progressive caucus to vote in favor of the legislation.
However, moderate Democrats refused to do so, citing their concerns about the bigger social spending bill. These movements ultimately pushed Biden into a dead-end tunnel.
However, when 13 Republicans bailed out Democrats, the House passed the bill by 228-206. Just six Democrats refused to vote in the bill’s favor, a gap bridged by some Republicans.
Many Republicans, who once claimed $25B for a border wall was too expensive, voted for Biden's $1.2T infrastructure bill. https://t.co/Hb9e6VuLWx
— John 👽 (@JxhnBxnder) November 8, 2021
However, the bill was bipartisan in nature and many Republicans participated in the talks to finalize the text. However, Democrats’ solo-flight in the social spending legislation (by canceling the GOP) sparked the disinterest of Republicans regarding this bill.
Amid all of this, when Democrats tried not to incorporate Republicans’ voices in the spending bill, this support of the GOP lawmakers disappointed the party’s leadership. It also put the lawmakers who voted in favor of the bill at greater risk in upcoming elections.
