AP: Pressure on a veteran and senator shows what's next for those who oppose Trump

[Dennis Donovan]

AP - Pressure on a veteran and senator shows what’s next for those who oppose Trump

By JILL COLVIN, LISA MASCARO and HANNAH FINGERHUT
Updated 7:26 AM EST, December 12, 2024

WASHINGTON (AP) — She’s an Iraq War combat veteran and sexual assault survivor who has advocated for years to improve how the military handles claims of sexual misconduct.

But when Sen. Joni Ernst, R-Iowa, appeared initially cool to the nomination of President-elect Donald Trump ’s choice of Pete Hegseth to serve as defense secretary — a man who once said women should not serve in combat and who has himself been accused of sexual assault — she faced an onslaught of criticism from within her own party, including threats of a potential primary challenge in 2026.

“The American people spoke,” said Bob Vander Plaats, president and CEO of the Family Leader and a conservative activist in Ernst’s home state.

“When you sign up for this job, it’s a big boy and big girl job, and she’s feeling the pressure of people vocalizing their disappointment, their concern with how she’s handling this.”

The pressure campaign against Ernst, once a rising member of the GOP leadership, shows there is little room in Trump’s party for those who can’t get to yes on Hegseth or any of his other picks for his incoming administration.

/snip

Musk is threatening to finance anyone who primaries any Senator that votes against a Trump cabinet pick.

[dalton99a]

1. "Obey or die"

[magicarpet]

2. Isn't this fun watching the oligarch class beating our politicians

.... over the head with the iron crowbar of money.

Rather than being named "Citizens United" the USSC case should have been named "Fascist Oligarch's Fruition".

[mopinko]

3. nobody that is up in 26 is going to go against him.

on anything.

[atreides1]

4. The simple truth

Joni doesn't want to go back to Iowa, because there's nothing there.

To paraphrase a WW1 song: How Ya Gonna Keep 'em Down on the Farm (After They've Been bought in D.C.?)

Ernst like many of her Republican colleagues, don't want to go back to where they came from, because they know that there isn't anything back home that has meaning for them!

[mzmolly]

5. Thank you Citizens United and 'progressives' like Nader an Stein who promised

their cult that it matters not who fills the SCOTUS.

I say we offer to crowdfund anyone who votes against his nominees. Musk is a POS and if there is Karma, he'll be a casualty of his shitty self driven vehicles.

[Timeflyer]

6. Well, she's a woman who spoke out against sexual assault by men. That's prohibited in Gilead.

[Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin]

7. Kiss the (t)Rump Joni.