Sen. Rick Scott, who heads the NRSC, has taken a lot of heat this cycle for the perceived diminishment of Republican chances to take the Senate. How valid those criticisms are is arguable, and I’m of the mind that relying on the same polls that missed numerous races from 2014-2020 is a bit foolhardy.
Still, the “bad candidates” claim has become prevalent and toxic among Republicans, with many seeming to want to be “right” more than doing what it takes to win with who is on the ballot. Scott has finally hit back with a not-so-subtle shot at Mitch McConnell, who recently trotted out the “band candidate line,” and a rallying cry to everyone else.
I’m not a big Scott fan, but he’s speaking a truth that needs to be spoken in this tenuous environment. I am sick and tired of seeing GOP operatives, including McConnell, who actually put his name to his comments, running to leftwing newspapers to talk about how bad Republican candidates are this cycle. That is irrelevant at this point. The candidates are the candidates, and the primaries are over. To continue to try to relitigate that is idiotic and only helps Democrats as we head towards November.
Scott’s line about the Washington “chattering class” hating Republican voters is also on the money. I understand that McConnell can’t stand the people who have put him in power all these years, but he could at least not actively kneecap them in the process. That goes for all the anonymous statements being given to the Post and Times as well.
Besides, a lot of the “bad candidate” talk is simply the establishment not liking who was chosen. J.D. Vance is not a bad candidate. Herschel Walker is currently running ahead of Raphael Warnock in Georgia. Adam Laxalt has a good shot in Nevada. Perhaps Blake Masters is a bit of a mismatch for Arizona, but he’s the guy, and he needs to be supported. Further, some “good candidates” like Ron Johnson are currently trailing according to the polls. Should he not be supported?
The time to whine and moan ended back in the summer. Republicans must united to defeat Democrats in this mid-term. The stakes are too high to continue to give Joe Biden the power of the purse and the ability to shove through radical judges. That doesn’t mean Republicans will agree on everything, but they agree on the big issues, and those must take precedence. Enough of the silly infighting.