Rep. Randy Fine of Florida says House Republicans should stop prioritizing compromise and prepare to fight when Democrats take control of the chamber in January. He supports making Rep. Jim Jordan the minority leader and expects Democrats to focus heavily on investigations and political retaliation.
In an interview, Fine argued that voters did not reject Republican policies so much as conclude that GOP lawmakers were not fighting hard enough to address their concerns. Fine increased his own winning margin to 19 points, even as Republicans lost the House.
Fine said Jordan brings two key strengths to the role: he is an experienced political fighter and a strong communicator. Jordan, he said, stood by President Trump during the impeachments of Trump’s first term and knows how to challenge political opponents. As a minority leader, Fine added, Jordan will need to explain why Democratic proposals will not improve people’s lives and make the case for Republican alternatives.
Fine does not think Republicans necessarily need to change their policies or messaging after the election. The bigger problem, in his view, was that voters did not see the party making a sustained effort on their behalf. People may continue supporting a politician even when that politician fails, Fine said, if they can see the effort. He pointed to his own result, saying he won by 14 points in his previous election and by 19 points this time.
Fine described the jobs of House speaker and minority leader as very different. He said Speaker Mike Johnson should use the remaining weeks of the Republican majority to pass legislation where possible. Jordan, by contrast, will have little chance to advance bills if Democrats hold a large majority. His role will be to challenge their investigations and decisions, and to explain the likely effects of their policies.
As an example, Fine said Republicans would need to push back against proposals such as Medicare for All. He argued that expanding public health coverage to everyone would put pressure on services and lead to long waits for care, citing Canada and the United Kingdom as examples.
Fine expects gridlock to be the likeliest outcome over the next two years. Democrats could pass legislation that Trump would veto, he said, with Republicans then helping sustain those vetoes in Congress. Still, he does not rule out compromise. He said Republicans would consider agreements if Democrats were willing to support measures such as voter ID or tighter limits on immigration, in exchange for concessions on other issues.
Fine said compromise should involve both parties giving ground, rather than Republicans simply accepting Democratic priorities. He added that he would be open to negotiations, but only if Republicans could also secure some of the policies they have sought.
On foreign policy, Fine named Democratic Sen. John Fetterman as someone he believes shares his commitment to defending Western civilization. He also mentioned Democratic Reps. Jared Moskowitz and Josh Gottheimer. Fine said his position is broader than simply supporting Israel: he views the United States and Israel as standing against terrorism that threatens societies around the world. He said he would be willing to work with Democrats who share that outlook, though he believes they are a minority in their party.
Fine said Democrats now face a choice between pursuing investigations and retaliation or concentrating on voters’ problems. He believes voters chose Democrats because they were dissatisfied with how Republicans addressed those problems, not because they wanted political persecution. If Democrats focus on retribution, Fine warned, they could face a similar backlash in two years. He expects them to choose that path, though he said it remains to be seen.
