Why Is Troy Nehls Running Unless He Knows GOP Will Lose Bigly?

Another one bites the dust. Troy Nehls, who used to love him some Donald Trump and MAGA, has announced that he will not be seeking reelection. Why is that, do you suppose? If you ask anybody who has been in the House and seen it flip a few times, it’s a real drug being part of the party out of power. That said, the norm of politics is a swinging pendulum and those made of sterner stuff then Nehls, apparently, simply learn to be patient and work towards more rewarding days. Nehls either has a crystal ball warning him about this next election, or he’s a coward. Or both.

Rep. Troy Nehls (R-Texas), one of President Trump‘s most steadfast allies, said Saturday he will retire from Congress rather than seek reelection in 2026.

Why it matters: Nehls joins a rapidly growing group of House members in both parties who have decided to call it quits, either to run for higher office or simply leave politics entirely.

• Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.), a longtime Trump ally who recently split with the president, made headlines last week by announcing her plans to resign in January.
• Rep. Don Bacon (R-Neb.), a Trump critic, told Axios he nearly resigned over the Trump administration’s 28-point peace plan for the Russia-Ukraine war.

What they’re saying: “I have made the decision, after conversations with my beautiful bride and my girls over the Thanksgiving holiday, to focus on my family and return home after this Congress,” Nehls said in a statement.

• “Before making this decision, I called President Trump personally to let him know of my plans. President Trump has always been a strong ally for our district and a true friend, and I wanted him to hear it from me first.”
• Nehls was first elected in 2020.

The latest: Within hours of Troy Nehls’ announcement, his identical twin brother, Trever Nehls, said he plans to run for the seat.

Maybe it’s as simple as that. Maybe Nehls figures his brother will be a shoo-in, so nothing is lost and Nehls gets to walk away with a clear conscience. Or, maybe the brother figures nothing ventured, nothing gained and neither one of them is particularly loyal to the GOP or MAGA.

We’re going to find out more details in days to come. It is very likely that the apex of MAGA has already been reached and that the cult will deteriorate even as its charismatic leader is in the process of rapidly doing.

In which case, why align with the losing crowd? Probably because there’s no image of this crowd winning for very much longer. Not if we are to take this year’s elections and special elections where Democrats are overperforming.

It will may be that MAGA will not survive without Trump and Republicans now in office are not sure where that leaves people with an R behind their names. Stay tuned. There will be more defections and resignations. Watch.

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