Trump Screwed by Ruthless Newsom, MAGA Loses It - Pondering Politics

[TexasTowelie]

Summary

California Governor Gavin Newsom scheduled a special election for August 4th, 2026 to fill the vacant House seat of deceased Republican Congressman Doug LaMalfa—waiting until the last legally possible day under state law. This strategic decision leaves the seat vacant for months, reducing Speaker Mike Johnson's already razor-thin Republican majority to a margin of just three votes.

Key Points:

- Political Impact: The vacant seat makes it significantly harder for Trump and Johnson to pass legislation, as the House Republican caucus is already in chaos with internal divisions and reluctance to take politically risky votes
- Precedent Defense: Jessiah argues this mirrors tactics used by Republican governors, particularly Texas Governor Greg Abbott, who waited 10 months to schedule a special election for deceased Democratic Representative Sylvester Turner's seat
- Democratic Strategy: The move is praised as Democrats "playing hardball" and matching Republican tactics rather than taking the traditional "when they go low, we go high" approach

Mixed Assessment of Newsom:

Jessiah approves of Newsom's decision, but criticizes the governor for:
- Making concessions during a Ben Shapiro interview, including walking back criticism of ICE
- Suggesting a potential "unity and bygones" approach in future presidential ambitions

The overall message advocates for Democrats to be more ruthless politically while maintaining moral standards—not becoming "blue Trump" but being willing to fight fire with fire when Republicans set aggressive precedents.

[NoMoreRepugs]

1. The Republican precedent is to say one thing and then do the opposite.