GOP Chaos Watch: Roe’s Pirate Flag, Musk’s Silence, and the RNC’s Vanishing Act

Another Totally Normal Week in Politics... The Quiz!

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Happy almost Fourth of July. As my gift to you, here’s a freebie Totally Normal Week in Politics Quiz. But first, I have to shame you for the question that many of you got wrong last week. I know this was a tricky one. Only the best people…

Here’s another Totally Normal Week in Politics quiz by Abi Baker and Luke Radel. As always, please leave your score in the comment section below and share this one with your friends. We love your feedback.

As of writing this, President Trump’s Big Beautiful Bill looks like it's on a glide path to passage. But now comes the hard part: selling the bill to the American people — while fending off Democratic attacks about Medicaid cuts and tax breaks for the wealthy.

Republicans only have three seats to spare to protect Trump from impeachment in the next Congress. And yet? There’s an all-consuming obsession with taking out Congressman Thomas Massie — a guy who might be more MAGA than Trump himself.

It’s not just because he’s likely a "hell no" vote on the BBB. It’s also about his opposition to the strikes in Iran, which some in Trumpworld are treating like apostasy. Trump has a $500 million war chest, but is it really worth spending $10 to $15 million to take out one libertarian-minded conservative — especially when you need every dollar to defend vulnerable Republicans in the SALT caucus across New York, New Jersey, and California?

“If they start diving into their reserves to take out Thomas Massie, then people are going to freak out — because we need every dollar not to lose the majority,” a former Trump official told me.

At the same time, the RNC has gone dark — no real strategy, no ground game, no clear function. Donors have started skipping the middleman and funneling cash into their own bespoke super PACs.

👀 The Cornyn Replacement Theory

One theory making the rounds: Sen. John Cornyn could be offered a graceful exit via a cabinet post, avoiding a MAGA-fueled primary from Ken Paxton, whose numbers (per internal NRSC polling) suggest he’d crush Cornyn by 22 points — only to potentially lose a general election to Democrat Colin Allred, who just jumped into the race. After all, the Director of National Intelligence might be open soon if Tulsi Gabbard raises another eyebrow about the strike on Iran. NASA Administrator is open too after Musk lost his say.

🏴‍☠️ Enter: Jeff Roe’s Pirate Ship

Want the scoop on Jeff Roe’s “pirate flag” strategy and why the RNC must get serious about the Elon Musk feud? Become a subscriber for more…