Republican lawmakers try to dodge Trump-Musk crossfire, aim to avoid 2026 damage
By Bo Erickson and Richard Cowan
WASHINGTON (Reuters) -U.S. Republican lawmakers are trying to dodge the crossfire between President Donald Trump and Elon Musk, with members saying they hope the billionaire brawl will subside without hurting their chances to protect their majority in the 2026 midterm elections.
"It's just not helpful. When you have division, divided teams don't perform as well," Representative Don Bacon, a Republican whose Nebraska district is perennially among the most competitive House of Representatives races.
"I'm a military guy. I commanded five times. If you have division in your team it's not good," said Bacon, who served in the U.S. Air Force for 30 years.
Musk, the world's richest person and CEO of Tesla, was the biggest donor in the 2024 election cycle and a prominent fixture in Trump's White House as he ran a controversial campaign to slash the federal government before stepping down last week.
Their buddy-movie dynamic evaporated this week as Musk and Trump openly feuded over a sweeping tax-cut and spending bill that Musk blasted as likely to add significantly to the federal government's $36.2 trillion in debt. He called for Trump's impeachment -- something the Republican-controlled Congress is unlikely to take up -- and mused publicly about the creation of a new political party.
While Republican lawmakers did not regard that as a serious prospect, they signaled concern about the rift as they look to defend narrow majorities in the House and Senate next year.
"I don't think lashing out on the internet is the way to handle any kind of disagreement, especially when you have each other's cell phones," Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene, a Georgia Republican who runs a Musk-inspired government efficiency subcommittee, "So I hope this gets worked out," said Greene, who has a history of posting inflammatory rhetoric on social media that is often aimed at Democratic opponents.
Greene represents a solidly Republican district, but Republicans will need to break with historical precedent in 2026 if they are to win the roughly three-dozen competitive seats that determine the House majority. Their path is easier in the Senate, where Democrats have fewer opportunities to win seats, according to nonpartisan analysts.
CAMPAIGN IMPLICATIONS?
Throughout Musk's tirade, he also took credit for both Trump's win and the Republicans' 220-212 House majority and 53-47 Senate edge.
He made nearly $300 million in political donations, with most of the money going to his own super PAC which was focused on helping Trump return to the White House. He played a smaller role in down-ballot races, which accounted for about 10% of his America PAC's spending. Musk also gave $10 million to a super PAC that backs Republican candidates for the U.S. Senate.
Musk is a divisive figure and his track record on elections is not unblemished. Earlier this year, Musk and political groups tied to him poured more than $21 million into a Wisconsin Supreme Court race. The Republican he supported was soundly defeated.
"Elon Musk is free to spend his money however he so chooses to do so," said Representative Rob Bresnahan, a Republican who unseated an incumbent Democrat in Pennsylvania, "If you do the right thing and fight for your district, I'm not really worried about much."
Lawmakers signaled little concern over Musk publicly toying with the idea of a third political party.
"I think he'll find that a very hard thing to do, but he's spent a lifetime doing very hard things," said Representative Tom Cole, an Oklahoma Republican.
They were more worried about Musk succeeding in killing the tax-cut bill, stung by the memory that he had succeeded in December in blocking the first version of a bill meant to avert a government shutdown. Deficit hawks welcomed his efforts to push for deeper spending cuts.
"I welcome people like Elon Musk that try to hold our feet to the fire. I'll take as much air cover as I possibly can get," Representative Eric Burlison, a Missouri Republican, who voted for the House version of the bill despite spending concerns. "We often disappoint our voters when we don't do the cuts that we campaign on, when we're not fiscally responsible."
Many Democratic lawmakers, faced with their own questions on how to win back congressional power, have watched the Trump-Musk fight with glee. "My heart goes out to both of them," Representative Sarah McBride, a Delaware Democrat, said.
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, asked whether the Republicans' infighting could help their political prospects, said, "I can tell you for certain that the extreme and reckless budget, the GOP tax scam, Trump's one big ugly bill, will be a central part of the contrast that exists between House Democrats and House Republicans in the context of the midterm elections."
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