NEWT:
Well, look, I think Bernie is being authentic, he us a big government socialist. He actually believes in giant government. And she clearly doesn’t. I think she knew that he would oppose her even if she stayed in the democratic party because both she and — now, Manchin is in a different place. West Virginia is now so Republican you couldn’t run against Manchin from the left. But Arizona has a large vibrant left wing community. And they have a democratic congressman who wanted to run against her anyway. So, I think it’s legitimate. Look, she is the closest thing the Democrats have to a moderate, which makes her fairly liberal. But compared to Bernie Sanders, they are on different planets, and I think he wants a party that is entirely committed to wokeism and to big government socialism, so he is going to fight for it. That’s his right.
NEWT:
Well, unless she — remember, in a three-way race you could theoretically win with 34%. And the question would be — Sinema is actually more popular with Republicans than she is with Democrats. So, her calculus in part may be that if she could put together the handful of Democrats and handful of Republicans and the independents that would give her 35 or 40% in a three-way race. I just don’t know. But I think clearly, I think there will be a Democrat, I think there will be a three-way race and I think you are right. If we nominate a Republican who is able to mobilize the Republican party, probably they have a shot at winning that seat.
NEWT:
It’s really hard to understand what independent means. As you pointed out Angus King has supposedly been independent for years although he did start out as a Democrat. Bernie Sanders is a genuine socialist but and in the democratic party he is treated as a Democrat. You know, Manchin ought to be an independent, but he stays with the democratic party. If she caucuses with them, I don’t know what becoming an independent means. And if both she and Manchin were to decide not to side with them, they would be in a very different situation. It would be much harder for them to get anything done.
NEWT:
Well, I think frankly what Kevin McCarthy has been doing recruiting minorities, recruiting women, recruiting veterans, creating a commitment to America that is an alternative. You don’t just beat people by being negative. You can’t just be the antiparty. If they are going to beat Biden in 2024, they are going to have to have a positive platform with a positive set of solutions. People are hurting. People want to know what are you going to do to make my life better? And what are you going to do to make America safer. Don’t just tell me the other guy is bad. I think the senate in particular has failed miserably at that. Where McCarthy was gradually gaining seats in both 20 and ’22. The senate has not gained any seats in three consecutive elections.
