Why post-McCarthy dread and doom is afflicting the GOP's 'Biden 18'

The Republican House members most targeted by Democrats for defeat in 2024 have been thrown into a state of anxiety by the historic removal Tuesday of House Speaker Kevin McCarthy. We can’t afford to play these games.” Rep. Juan Ciscomani, who won by just 1.5 percent in 2022, blasted McCarthy’s removal as “pointless, unproductive and harmful to the agenda we put forth when we were elected.” And Rep. David Schweikert, the only “Biden 18” member to vote against keeping the government open a week ago, chimed in: “The decision by eight Republicans to vote with the Democrats to oust Kevin McCarthy as speaker was reckless and wrong. “I’m tremendously disappointed that nobody – no Democrat Problem Solver – stepped up to do so, and I’m reassessing if I’ll remain a member of that caucus.” A dozen of the “Biden 18” were listed earlier this year among the 31 GOP members of the Problem Solvers caucus. Here’s a sampling of the not-so-moderate characterizations they offered up about him: “Matt Gaetz is nothing but a self-absorbed egotist.” – Rep. Anthony D'Esposito “Matt has been a singularly destructive force within the conference. He’s a charlatan.” – LaLota “I have neither the patience nor tolerance for this pseudo-psycho-political game.” – Molinaro “ a Republican running with scissors.” – Rep. Mike Garcia On the other hand, the most infamous member of the “Biden 18” – serial fabulist Rep. George Santos – refrained from attacking Gaetz.