Tensions are rising between the fiercest House Republican critic of Donald Trump and the former president’s most ardent GOP defender.
Florida Rep. Matt Gaetz Wednesday lashed his House Republican colleague, Illinois Rep. Adam Kinzinger, over his new political action committee meant to purge from the party sympathizers of Trump and Georgia Republican Rep Marjorie Taylor Greene, who House Democrats last week stripped of committee assignments due to past social media posts supportive of violent conspiracy theories such as QAnon.
Gaetz, one of Trump’s most vocal supporters in the House, took a backhanded jab at Kinzinger for his Wisconsin National Guard service in his own Florida Panhandle congressional district. Gaetz then went off on Kinzinger for his PAC, having himself sworn off that type of fundraising.
“Adam is a patriot who fought for America from Northwest Florida. We will always appreciate & honor his service. Now, he wants to target my America First politics, referencing me by name,” Gaetz wrote. “My response: F—ing bring it. Adam needs PACs to win elections. I don’t.”
Kinzinger responded with an animated gif from the film Top Gun, showing the lead character pulling a difficult aerial maneuver and outsmarting his Russian adversary.
https://t.co/Q0GyPHSqRC pic.twitter.com/gEzPwhrCQp
— Adam Kinzinger (@RepKinzinger) February 11, 2021
Kinzinger, who vocally supported Republican Conference Chairwoman Liz Cheney when Republicans demanded she resign from her leadership post after she voted for his impeachment, was also among one of nine House Republicans to support impeaching Trump on one article of incitement of insurrection.
Gaetz and Kinzinger previously took to Twitter and swiped at one another after Gaetz announced he would travel to Cheyenne, Wyoming, and campaign against Cheney, who ultimately survived a full conference secret ballot vote related to her leadership post last week.
Kinzinger previously took a jab at Missouri Republican Sen. Josh Hawley over reported claims he was not paying attention to House impeachment managers’ argument on Wednesday.
“Would be nice if @HawleyMO would actually put his Presidential ambitions (which will fail) aside for a moment to actually be a grown up Senator, come to terms with what he did, and seek redemption. #RestoreOurGOP,” Kinzinger tweeted.
