Illinois Republican goes viral after confronting 'obnoxious' Gaetz on convention floor

The morning after going face-to-face with U.S. Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Fla., on the floor of the Republican National Convention, a leading Illinois Republican on Wednesday called the far-right GOP congressman “a loser."

Illinois National Republican Committeeman Richard Porter’s Tuesday night interaction with Gaetz made the rounds in a social media video that showed him berate the scandal-plagued Gaetz for trying to embarrass former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy during a television interview.

"Shut up, Gaetz. you don't have to be an a-----,” Porter said on the floor.

Gaetz, a frequent punchline on late-night TV talk shows, responded: "I don't know who you are."

“It doesn't f------ matter who I am,” Porter responded, his face inches from Gatez’s. “Don't be an a-----.”

At the Illinois RNC delegation’s Wednesday morning breakfast, Porter said Gaetz’s display “was just for show. It was obnoxious, it was not consistent with what we’re here for.”

Though Gaetz "has flashes of brilliance, but he has no discipline,” Porter said. “I'm sure the people in his district can do better than he is."

On the other hand, “he's still better than AOC,” Porder continued, referencing hyper-progressive U.S. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., a frequent target of Republican ire. “But it's not the right kind of representation for our party.”

Porter said he went back up to Gaetz about 40 minutes later to ask, “‘You good?’ He looked at me… He didn't say anything.”

As for his viral moment, Porter said, “Everything else I stand by. Just the F-word. I should have left that out.”

Make America grate again?

That Illinois delegates' breakfast on Wednesday got off to a cheesy start.

Besides the usual lineup of party officials, the morning gathering at a hotel near the Milwaukee airport featured a side dish with curd appeal — a likeness of Donald Trump, carved from a a giant block of cheddar.

It showed the former president silhouette in front of the outline of state of Illinois — some of Illinois, at least. Trump covered a lot of the southern half of the state, just as he does on the electoral map.

Security is focus of third convention day

The third day of the Republican National Convention kicks off Wednesday with Republicans — led by the newly nominated Donald Trump and his running mate, U.S. Sen. JD Vance of Ohio — turning to issues of national security and foreign policy.

Republicans are expected to focus on Democratic President Joe Biden's handling of the ongoing crises in Europe and the Middle East. Former Trump administration officials are also expected to take the stage to outline what foreign policy would look like if he returns to the White House for a second term.

Vance will also introduce himself to a national audience Wednesday evening when he delivers his first speech as the Republican vice-presidential nominee.

Fresh from prison, Navarro expected to speak at RNC, AP source says

Former White House official Peter Navarro was released Wednesday from prison and was expected to speak just hours later at the Republican National Convention, according to a person familiar with the schedule who spoke on condition of anonymity before its official release.

Navarro was released from custody after completing his four-month sentence for refusing to cooperate with a congressional investigation into the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol, according to the federal Bureau of Prisons.

House Dems’ campaign committee fundraising sets record

The House Democrats' campaign committee says it raised a record $44 million this past quarter.

Despite the turmoil roiling the party over Biden's reelection, strategists have said donors are stepping up to give to congressional Democrats as a firewall against a potential second Trump White House.

The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee said Wednesday the total includes $19.7 million raised in June. Biden's halting debate against Trump was at the end of that month.

Democrats also are trying to offer political counterprogramming to the RNC, announcing $15 million to fund campaign operations in seven key swing states — even as some in the party have urged President Joe Biden to bow out of November's election.

And the Democratic National Committee announced Tuesday that it is investing $15 million in state parties, meant to help them open more field offices and bolster staffing. The funding will let them add to the 217 existing coordinated campaign offices working jointly for Biden's reelection bid and state parties that already employ 1,100-plus staffers in Arizona, Georgia, Michigan, North Carolina, Nevada, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin, the DNC said.