Republican senators face a choice: Back the U.S. military or enable Tuberville’s tantrum

Last week could have marked a turning point in Sen. Tommy Tuberville’s one-man war on the Pentagon. A handful of the Alabama Republican’s colleagues turned on him on the Senate floor, forcing him to object to the promotions of 61 high-ranking military officers, one at a time, for more than four hours. Tuberville has blocked military nominations and promotions for eight months over his objection to a Pentagon policy that pays for service members stationed in abortion-banning states to travel to civilized states for their reproductive health care.

On the one hand, it was deeply satisfying to see some of these hard-line Republicans, like Iowa’s Joni Ernst, turn on one of their own. On the other hand, it was kind of like seeing the adage about wrestling with pigs acted out in real life. Instead of being shamed or chagrined, Tuberville seemed to enjoy the confrontation; he certainly didn’t back down. That’s left his GOP colleagues even angrier at him.