MSNBC host Ari Melber argued Wednesday that former Rep. Matt Gaetz’s “unpopular” status is partially tied to his attacks toward Republicans, including some whose votes he needs to become attorney general.
“There is a raw math of White House politics here that hasn’t changed just because we had a very big election,” Melber said.
“Even a president-elect may not just be able to deliver a win here for a nominee that has completely torched goodwill with, do the math, the very Senate Republicans that he has to count up and get in order to be confirmed into this job.”
Melber played a number of clips showing Gaetz hurling insults at several Republicans by name, including Sens. Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska), Susan Collins (R-Maine), Markwayne Mullin (R-Okla.), Thom Tillis (R-N.C.) and Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.).
“My advice going forward is that the Republican leadership doesn’t need to pick one of the Johns — John Thune, John Cornyn, John Barrasso,” said Gaetz on his podcast prior to Senate Republicans electing Thune as majority leader.
“I think that there are going to be better options than the Johns.”
Earlier in the program, Melber pointed to reports on Republicans’ concerns with Gaetz that go beyond the House Ethics Committee’s investigation into him, noting that he’s “clashed” with GOP officials such as former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.), which — at times — looked like a “personal beef.”
Gaetz, in an appearance on the MSNBC anchor’s program last year, denied that he had “beef” with McCarthy.
Melber noted that Gaetz went “so hard at so many” GOP leaders in moves that may have “burned down more than he could build or replace.”
“Gaetz is — simply put — one of the most unpopular figures among Republican senators that Trump could select,” said Melber, who “put aside” Democrats’ votes and veterans of both the DOJ along with the FBI who have expressed concerns about Gaetz.