Republicans have experienced a range of emotions since Donald Trump nominated Matt Gaetz to be attorney general Wednesday.
Several Republicans in Congress reacted with disbelief over the past few days:
“Are you shittin me, that you just asked that question? No! But hell, you’ll print that and now I’m going to be investigated,” Rep. Mike Simpson (R-ID), said when a reporter asked him whether Gaetz has the experience and character to be attorney general.
“Mr. Gaetz breaks things to breaks things, and then once he breaks it, he breaks it even more,” Rep. Max Miller (R-OH) told CNN’s Manu Raju. “That is somebody who should not be the attorney general.”
“I don’t think it's a serious nomination for the attorney general,” said Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), a likely “no” vote on Gaetz, should his nomination reach the chamber. “This one was not on my bingo card.”
“I was shocked that he has been nominated,” said Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME), another likely “no” vote.
Some have expressed support:
“I like Matt a lot,” said Sen. Marco Rubio (R-FL), Trump’s nominee for secretary of state. “I know him very well and I’m confident that if the Senate confirms him, he would do a good job.”
Some are in wait-and-see mode:
“I don’t know yet,” Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) said. “I have to think about that one.”
“We’ll find out,” Sen. John Cornyn (R-TX) said, when a reporter asked him if Gaetz could be confirmed.
And some are expressing “no comment” or avoiding the question altogether in interesting ways:
“Happy Thanksgiving,” Sen. John Kennedy (R-LA) said, when a reporter asked him for his thoughts about Gaetz’s nomination.
