In January of last year, as Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., pursued his ambitious campaign for leadership in the chamber, Rep. Derrick Van Orden, a staunch supporter of McCarthy, raised a thought-provoking question for GOP members hesitant to back the prospective speaker. On January 5, Van Orden posted on X, asking, “How much money did they take from McCarthy to get elected over the years?”
The inquiry from the first-term lawmaker now reverberates within conservative circles following McCarthy’s unprecedented removal, not just from his position as the top leader among Republicans but also as their primary fundraiser. The decision to cast aside McCarthy has placed the House GOP’s political apparatus in jeopardy, and individuals like Van Orden represent examples of Republicans whose chances of reelection are now in peril.
Earlier this month, the nonpartisan election forecaster Cook Political Report adjusted its rating for Van Orden’s traditionally Democratic seat in Wisconsin from “likely” Republican to “leans” Republican. This shift places the seat just one category away from being classified as a true toss-up.
At 54, Van Orden successfully flipped his district in 2022 from blue to red, marking the first time since 1994 that a Republican had held it. He secured victory by a margin of just under 12,000 votes against a state senator. In the 2020 election, Van Orden faced defeat against longtime former Democratic Rep. Ron Kind before Kind’s retirement. The first-term legislator, a former Navy SEAL and entrepreneur, has reaped significant advantages from McCarthy’s fundraising initiatives.
It seems that things are not going well for McCarthy, and the recent developments have only added to the turmoil.
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