A top ally of Senate Majority Leader John Thune just handed Democrats their best chance at flipping a Texas Senate seat with a tone-deaf attack on hundreds of thousands of Republican voters who supported Rep. Wesley Hunt in Tuesday's GOP primary.
Alex Latcham, executive director of the Senate Leadership Fund and Thune's right-hand man, launched a broadside against Texas voters after they dared to support Hunt over establishment favorite John Cornyn. The attack has created a firestorm of backlash that could destroy Cornyn's chances in what should have been a safe Republican seat.
"If John Cornyn loses the runoff, all Republicans should thank the classless behavior of @Alex_Latcham_ for why," fumed one Republican observer on social media. "It is his disgusting deplorables moment attacking the voters tonight that has everyone so fired up."
The timing couldn't be worse for the GOP establishment. While Cornyn was initially leading heading into the runoff, Latcham's attack on Texas voters has created exactly the kind of intraparty warfare that hands elections to Democrats.
"It was good for Cornyn until @Alex_Latcham_ attacked the voters of Texas and began causing a massive backlash," another Republican strategist noted on Twitter, highlighting how Latcham's arrogance may have snatched defeat from the jaws of victory.
This is classic Washington establishment behavior – attack the very voters you need to win elections. Latcham's Senate Leadership Fund tried to clean up the mess with a weak statement congratulating Cornyn, but the damage was already done.
Here's the bigger picture: This debacle shows exactly why so many Americans are fed up with the GOP establishment. Instead of respecting voters' choices and building unity, Thune's allies would rather attack conservatives who dare to support America First candidates like Wesley Hunt.
President Trump's MAGA movement succeeded because it respected voters, not insulted them. If Cornyn loses this seat because his establishment allies couldn't resist attacking Texas Republicans, it will be a perfect example of how the swamp never learns.
Will Texas voters remember this insult come runoff day? The establishment may be about to find out the hard way.