In a rare move, most NC GOP lawmakers defy Trump, vote against $2,000 stimulus checks
In the waning days of the Trump administration, most of North Carolina’s Republican House lawmakers defied the president twice this week — by voting against giving Americans $2,000 stimulus checks and by voting to override his veto of the national defense bill.
All eight N.C. congressmen who voted on the stimulus bill voted against it, despite President Donald Trump’s call for $2,000 stimulus payments to taxpayers. The state’s three Democratic congressmen all voted for the higher payments.
Despite eventually signing a bill that included $600 payments, Trump had called the amount “ridiculously low.”
The payments were part of a $900 billion COVID relief and government funding bill the president signed Sunday.
Forty-four Republicans joined House Democrats in passing the new stimulus bill 275-134 on Monday. Of the N.C. Republicans who voted, all voted against it: Reps. Dan Bishop, Ted Budd, Virginia Foxx, George Holding, Patrick McHenry, Richard Hudson, Greg Murphy and David Rouzer. (GOP Rep. Mark Walker of the 6th District, who’s leaving office, did not vote, and the 11th District seat is vacant until newly elected Republican Madison Cawthorn is sworn in next month.)
Longtime GOP strategist Carter Wrenn said he’s not surprised some in his party are now voting against Trump, who has continued to unsuccessfully challenge the results of the Nov. 3 election.
“You’ve got two tribes in the Republican Party in Washington,” he said Tuesday. “You’ve got the Washington Insider tribe and you’ve got Trump. Trump has been so popular with Republican voters, a lot of insiders have been afraid to buck him. Now Trump has sort of discredited himself a little more, (and) they’re less afraid of him.”
In a tweet, Bishop ripped the most recent stimulus bill, saying, “We can’t afford another $460 billion in Chinese debt to furnish Nancy Pelosi political points. We need tailored aid and an opened economy so that Americans can pursue opportunity again, not subsist by the hand of government.”
Bishop did not address Trump’s support for the higher stimulus payment. He could not be reached for comment Tuesday.
Voting for troops or pork?
Bishop and Budd of the 13th District were the only N.C. Republicans who voted to sustain Trump’s veto of the $740 million National Defense Authorization Act. The measure gives pay raises to U.S. troops and set defense policies. It had passed both houses of Congress with veto-proof majorities.
Trump vetoed the bill because, among other things, it sets up a process to change the name of military bases named for Confederate soldiers.
Sixty-six Republicans joined almost all Democrats in voting to override the veto. That included six N.C. Republicans: Foxx, Holding, Hudson, McHenry, Murphy and Rouzer. (Walker did not vote.) The override passed 322-87.
“As Fort Bragg’s congressman, it is my responsibility to ensure our troops, their families and our veterans have the support they deserve,” Hudson said in a statement. He represents the 8th District, which stretches from Cabarrus to Cumberland counties.
Most N.C. Republicans supported the original defense bill, which passed overwhelmingly. Bishop, Budd and Rouzer of the 7th District opposed it. Of the three, only Rouzer changed his position and voted to override Trump’s veto.
In sustaining Trump’s veto, Bishop criticized the Defense Authorization Act, or NDAA.
“The uniparty in Washington loves pork-filled NDAAs,” he wrote, “but I stood with President Trump because the American people see what he sees.”
Both bills go to the Senate
Both bills now go to the Senate. It’s unclear when they’ll be voted on, though it’s unlikely to before Wednesday at the earliest.
Politico reported that Independent Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont has threatened to filibuster an override of the defense bill unless Senate Republicans schedule a floor vote on the $2,000 stimulus measure.
Spokesmen for GOP Sens. Richard Burr and Thom Tillis of North Carolina could not be reached Tuesday.
This story was originally published December 29, 2020 at 12:33 PM with the headline "In a rare move, most NC GOP lawmakers defy Trump, vote against $2,000 stimulus checks."
