Former RNC chair urges lawmakers in both parties to ‘take the win’ on tentative border deal

Former Republican National Committee Chairman Michael Steele called on lawmakers on both sides of the aisle to “snap for victory” on a temporary border agreement as negotiations continue and uncertainty remains over whether it will pass.

“Let’s grab the win. Let’s grab the win. This is, you know, a moment of great clarity when you stop and think about it. Democrats and Republicans negotiated a conservative border bill,” Steele said. . Friday’s MSNBC interview.

The Biden-backed bill has faced resistance among House Republicans, with Speaker Mike Johnson (R-Louisiana) saying the bill would be “dead on arrival” in the House. .

“It does a lot of the things that Republicans, especially in the House, have been talking about for years, but frankly never did anything when Trump was president,” Steele said.

Steele criticized former President Donald Trump’s efforts to force Republicans in both chambers of Congress to reject the deal and deny President Biden’s congressional victories ahead of the 2024 election.

The text of the border deal being drafted in the Senate has not been made public, but Steele questioned how Republicans could criticize a bill they haven’t seen yet. He predicted the deal would include “pretty much everything you could ask for.” [have] They were talking about this and that. ”

The former party chairman dismissed claims that House Republicans would be hurt electorally if they didn’t agree to a deal, saying Republicans should just “get a deal” because they have “already lost the House.” Ta.

He went on to predict that House Republicans would agree to a deal if push came to shove “because there is no other endgame here.”

“Because if we don’t get a deal, who do you think will be responsible for the border problems between now and November?” he said. “Whatever happens, it’s the Republican Party’s responsibility at this point.”