Republican vice presidential nominee JD Vance recently campaigned in Georgia, where he took some time to sing the praises of one of the state’s most notorious politicians.
“We have got another great, strong, woman leader in Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene,” the Ohio Republican said. The senator went on to note Greene’s endorsement of his 2022 candidacy, adding that he sees her as “a great friend” and a “hell of a congresswoman.”
Others in the GOP apparently don’t quite see her the same way.
As you’ve probably heard, Greene has spent an incredible amount of time lately trying to convince the public that “they” have a secret ability to “control the weather.” The right-wing Georgian has pushed the line over and over and over again, and it’s worth appreciating why.
Greene’s claims come against a backdrop of two deadly hurricanes that did horrific damage in the Southeast — and the lawmaker apparently wants Americans to believe that nefarious forces were responsible for both creating the storms and directing them at the region. As Slate’s Jim Newell explained:
Despite backlash from basically every possible corner, she continues, still, to push this idea that the government can enhance and steer hurricanes on a path that does the most destruction to red America, ostensibly to create a mess in swing states that can’t be restored in time for voting. I’ve covered Congress for a while, so I don’t say this lightly: I’m not sure I’ve ever heard a member say something this disassociated with reality.
It appears that some of Greene’s Capitol Hill colleagues have grown weary of her nuttiness — including some House Republicans.
Florida Rep. Carlos Gimenez, for example, issued a statement online this week, suggesting that Greene and those who agree with her need “to have their head examined.” He’s not alone. Axios spoke to several other GOP lawmakers, one of whom said Greene’s beliefs on the subject are “loony tunes.” The same member told the outlet that “disgust with her recent comments is widespread among House Republicans.” At face value, that’s encouraging — because the alternative is that there are multiple members of the House GOP conference who believe a nefarious “they,” looking to create an electoral advantage, are secretly creating hurricanes. But as Election Day 2024 draws closer, let’s also not forget that if Republicans keep their majority in the U.S. House, Greene will be in her third term and will be well positioned to chair a committee or subcommittee — unless, that is, Donald Trump wins and taps the right-wing Georgian to lead a federal agency.
Steve Benen is a producer for "The Rachel Maddow Show," the editor of MaddowBlog and an MS NOW political contributor. He's also the bestselling author of "Ministry of Truth: Democracy, Reality, and the Republicans' War on the Recent Past."
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