Mainstream Republicans finally show they have spines — temporarily |

During a fleeting period within the past three weeks, certain prominent individuals within the Republican Party, such as Ken Buck from Colorado, briefly exhibited courage in opposing the abhorrent threats and political strategies employed by extremists within the party. Regrettably, this momentary display of backbone was short-lived, as an extremist Speaker of the House, who played a significant role in attempting to overturn the outcome of the 2020 election, assumed power.Buck, in contrast to Majority Leader Steve Scalise, R-La., and Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, opposed two other candidates for speaker due to their refusal to accept the results of the 2020 election.

According to Buck, it is crucial for the Republican party to refrain from conveying the message that they believe the election was stolen and that the events of January 6th were acceptable, as this would hinder their chances of winning the majority. In an interview with CNN, Buck emphasized the importance of maintaining a principled stance on these matters.

As a consequence of his principled stand, Buck disclosed that he and at least six other Republicans who opposed Jordan have been subjected to a barrage of threatening messages. Last week, Buck informed reporters that he has received four death threats. Additionally, he has been evicted from his office in Colorado, as his voting record on the speaker issue has angered the landlord. Buck further revealed that these threats are not limited to him alone, as family members of other conference members have also been approached and threatened. The situation has escalated to the point where various distressing incidents are occurring.Two Republican U.S. Representatives, Mariannette Miller-Meeks of Iowa and Drew Ferguson of Georgia, reported receiving death threats on social media after changing their votes in the second round from Jordan to another Republican. The spouse of Rep. Don Bacon of Nebraska, who initially supported Jordan, began sleeping with a loaded gun due to threatening calls and messages. CNN played a disturbing audio clip of a caller threatening an unnamed lawmaker's wife, demanding that the lawmaker vote for Jim Jordan or a more conservative candidate, or face unimaginable harm.The extent of the political discourse's degradation and the acceptance of political violence and intimidation are vividly demonstrated by the threats. This is emphasized in the latest American Values Survey conducted by the Public Religion Research Institute (PRRI).

According to the survey, a significant 23% of Americans now believe that resorting to violence is necessary to save the country due to the severe deviation from the right path. This percentage has risen from 15% in 2021. It is worth noting that PRRI has posed this question in eight different surveys since March 2021, and this is the first time that support for political violence has exceeded 20%.

However, the recent resistance displayed by Buck and other individuals is a notable indication that mainstream Republicans, who adhere to institutionalist principles, may have reached their limit with the pervasive bullying tactics that have come to define Republican strategies nationwide. These GOP representatives have asserted that such pressure tactics and intimidation have become far too commonplace. It is important to acknowledge that President Trump played a significant role in laying the foundation for these threats, as he conditioned his supporters to employ such tactics by either implicitly or explicitly endorsing them.During the speaker battle, some Republicans opposed Jordan's candidacy due to concerns that intimidation tactics would persist if he were elected. These holdouts framed their resistance as a means of demonstrating to their party that such tactics are no longer effective. Rep. Jen Kiggans, a former Navy helicopter pilot, emphasized that threats and intimidation would not sway her principles. This refusal to be cowed by fear is a positive development, as it signals a willingness to confront and reject the toxic elements of our political discourse.The query is whether these three weeks of pushback will result in any lasting alterations. Will the rational constituents of the Republican Party ultimately commence the eradication of the detrimental influence that has plagued the party for an excessive duration?