Warren Davidson to get a primary over “nay” on “Big, Beautiful Bill?”

Rep. Warren Davidson of Ohio was one of just two House Republicans to vote against the “Big, Beautiful” tax bill and do so intentionally.

His reward for attempting to stand up for fiscal sanity, against a bill that would increase the deficit?

A promise of a primary challenger from White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt:

When asked if Trump thinks someone should primary Davidson and Massie, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said: “I believe he does, and I don’t think he likes to see grandstanders in Congress.”

“The president believes the Republican Party needs to be unified,” Leavitt told reporters May 22. “The vast majority of Republicans clearly are and are listening to the president. They are trusting in President Trump, as they should.”

Interesting.

It’s worth noting that Davidson won his 2024 race with a bigger share of the vote than Trump did, in the same district: He took 62.8 percent to Trump’s 61 percent.

That’s less robust than the 100 percent the other congressman who has been promised a primary, Thomas Massie, took; in 2024, he ran unopposed. But in 2020, when Massie did have an opponent, he won with 67.1 percent to Trump’s 65 percent. And in 2016, Massie won with 71.3 percent to Trump’s 66 percent.

Bottom line: Both of these guys are probably pretty secure in their belief that they’re more popular with the folks back home than Trump is. But it will be interesting to see if Trump actually tests that theory, and how this all plays out.