Master Bootlicker and All-Around Toady Matt Gaetz, whom GQ calls the “Trumpiest Congressman in Washington,” is out there again lighting fires for his master. Gov. Brian Kemp (R-GA) wants to appoint Kerry Loeffler, a local finance executive and owner of the local WNBA franchise, to replace Sen. Johnny Isakson when he steps down at the end of the year for ill health. Trump wants Kemp to appoint Doug Collins, who is just about as much a toady as Gaetz. Kemp thinks Loeffler has a better chance of keeping the Senate seat (which will be subject to a wide-open special election next year) than Collins, but Trump, as always thinking only of himself, probably thinks Collins will be a better fighter for him in a Senate impeachment trial.
Enter Gaetz (who isn't even from Georgia), ready to do battle for his Dark Lord. Per The Hill:
Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.) warned Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp (R) on Friday that he could face a primary challenger when running for reelection if he doesn’t select President Trump’s favored candidate for the Senate seat soon to be vacated by Johnny Isakson (R-Ga.).
Gaetz tweeted this at 8:58 AM today:
You are ignoring his request because you THINK you know better than @POTUS.
If you substitute your judgement for the President’s, maybe you need a primary in 2022. Let’s see if you can win one w/o Trump
Now as we all know, a newborn baby has better judgment than Trump. But anyway, Kemp doesn’t appear to be fazed by this shot from over his southern border. The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported around 9 AM that Kemp will appoint Loeffler next week. Ditto WSB-TV Atlanta about an hour ago, and Yahoo News earlier this afternoon.
Now, the difference between Collins and Loeffler in terms of how they’ll vote probably could be measured in microns. But aside from the ludicrous spectacle of a Florida rep making threats against the governor of another state, there is the interesting point that a republican governor of a state that may be in play in 2020 is willing to defy Trump’s vehemently expressed demands.