Impeachment inquiry, funding could spell trouble for House GOP moderates

Republicans in competitive districts are poised to come face-to-face with two politically perilous matters this month: whether to open an impeachment inquiry into President Biden and the possibility of a government shutdown.

Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) has suggested that the House could hold a vote to launch an impeachment inquiry as soon as this month, despite hesitation from some moderates. At the same time, conservatives are continuing their push for steeper spending cuts and policy provisions attached to government funding, with some going as far as to embrace the possibility of a shutdown.

Both issues could put the 18 Republicans defending their seats in districts Biden won last cycle in a tight spot — forcing them to choose between risking blowback from their party on Capitol Hill or from their voters back home.

“I think there’s a lot of peril this fall facing Republicans,” said Vin Weber, a Republican strategist and former member of House GOP leadership.

“The Republican conference has a lot of risky things facing them in the next month or two,” he later added.