Rep. Thomas Massie (R-Ky.) has a theory about how Congress picks its leaders, and it is not a flattering one. In a post on X on Monday, Massie said newly elected lawmakers would meet behind closed doors after the election to select congressional leaders, including majority and minority leaders, whips and a House speaker.

His allegation: lawmakers will support candidates who promise them "campaign cash, good times, good committee assignments, and subcommittee gavels." In other words, the leadership vote is less about who will best represent voters and more about who will best reward the people doing the voting.

Same Team, Different Jerseys

Massie also accused Republican and Democratic leaders of working toward shared political interests, despite their public differences. "When it's all said and done, your Representatives will also pledge their congressional voting cards to the leaders of RED team and BLUE team, who are secretly playing on the same team," he wrote.

He described the process as a way for voters' choices to be undermined, adding, "That's how your election will get stolen."

Comparing lawmakers to Jack in the fairy tale Jack and the Beanstalk, Massie said they were trading something valuable for promises that would never materialize. "In this version of the story, the beans never sprout and lobbyists eat the beef," he added.

Massie Pushes Back on Users

Responding to users on X, Massie dismissed calls for a third party, replying, "Some say we need a second party!" When questioned about discouraging voter participation, he said, "People deserve to know what's really going on."

Trump Threatens Vetoes If GOP Loses House

President Donald Trump warned he would become "Mr. Veto" if Republicans lost control of the House in the midterm elections, while suggesting he could eventually negotiate with Democrats.

He accused Democrats of pursuing policies that would "destroy" the country but expressed confidence that Republicans would perform well.

Trump also said he would "love" to seek a third term but acknowledged that it was constitutionally impossible.

Midterm Backlash Warnings Mount

On Monday, California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) predicted that Trump would face an electoral setback in November, accusing him of corruption and urging voters to restore congressional oversight.

Last week, Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) urged Americans to vote, calling Trump "extraordinarily dangerous" and criticizing his economic policies for benefiting wealthy Americans while hurting working families.

In May, former White House communications director Anthony Scaramucci warned that Trump's leadership style could damage the political futures of Vice President JD Vance and Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.).

Disclaimer: This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by MarketDash editors.