Catie Edmondson

But at the same time, both in the House and the Senate, you have more centrist Republicans, particularly Republicans who represent purplish districts, states who just got out of tough reelections, who certainly don't want to be seen as politicians. Laying waste to the federal government, shuttering programs that their constituents rely on.

But at the same time, both in the House and the Senate, you have more centrist Republicans, particularly Republicans who represent purplish districts, states who just got out of tough reelections, who certainly don't want to be seen as politicians. Laying waste to the federal government, shuttering programs that their constituents rely on.

And so this becomes a tremendously difficult balancing act to figure out how do you implement all these policies that are going to cost a lot of money while cutting a bunch of programs, each of which have their own constituencies on the Hill. And House Republican leaders have decided to add an extra layer of difficulty here by

And so this becomes a tremendously difficult balancing act to figure out how do you implement all these policies that are going to cost a lot of money while cutting a bunch of programs, each of which have their own constituencies on the Hill. And House Republican leaders have decided to add an extra layer of difficulty here by

They've said they want to make sure this legislation at least passes the House within the first 100 days of Trump's presidency.

They've said they want to make sure this legislation at least passes the House within the first 100 days of Trump's presidency.

And that is a Herculean lift that we're now talking about.

And that is a Herculean lift that we're now talking about.

With a one-vote majority in the House, yes.

With a one-vote majority in the House, yes.

Well, I remember in the days after January 6th talking to Republican members of Congress who themselves were sheltering in place at the Capitol on January 6th, who heard stories from their staff about their staff barricading themselves into their office to protect themselves from the rioters who were rampaging through the Capitol. And I remember a lot of them saying,

Well, I remember in the days after January 6th talking to Republican members of Congress who themselves were sheltering in place at the Capitol on January 6th, who heard stories from their staff about their staff barricading themselves into their office to protect themselves from the rioters who were rampaging through the Capitol. And I remember a lot of them saying,

being appalled by what happened, who were making the case that Donald Trump was not someone who should lead the Republican Party, and that, in fact, in order to move on from January 6th, in order to move on from what had happened, that Republicans needed to walk away from him as a leader. Now, fast forward four years later, Voters have spoken.

being appalled by what happened, who were making the case that Donald Trump was not someone who should lead the Republican Party, and that, in fact, in order to move on from January 6th, in order to move on from what had happened, that Republicans needed to walk away from him as a leader. Now, fast forward four years later, Voters have spoken.

They reelected Trump to the White House for a second term. They elected a Republican Congress, giving Republicans a majority in both the House and the Senate. And you have a Republican Party that is pretty unified around Trump himself.

They reelected Trump to the White House for a second term. They elected a Republican Congress, giving Republicans a majority in both the House and the Senate. And you have a Republican Party that is pretty unified around Trump himself.

And so it's a remarkable turnabout, and it's not lost on me at all that the question now is not should they unify around Trump, but rather how unified can they be and how successful they will be at making his agenda come to fruition.

And so it's a remarkable turnabout, and it's not lost on me at all that the question now is not should they unify around Trump, but rather how unified can they be and how successful they will be at making his agenda come to fruition.

Thanks, Michael.

Thanks, Michael.