Party leaders in the House are keeping eagle eyes on where their members stand on impeachment as the vote next week draws closer.
House Democrats, per Politico, are trying to keep defections in the single digits and seem on track to do so. There is little concern that enough members would turn against impeachment to endanger the vote.
Still, exact figures may be hard to come by until the day of the vote itself, since few swing-district Democrats see any reason to prematurely indicate which way they’ll go.
Republicans, on the other hand, seem somewhat less comfortable with their position. Minority Whip Steve Scalise (R-LA) shot off an email Wednesday night informing Republican offices that he’d be talking to their bosses about their impeachment vote intentions.
“Whip Scalise recommends a NO vote,” it reads before detailing Republican talking points about the “sham” articles of impeachment and the “soviet-style” impeachment inquiry.
The Democratic-majority House is expected to pass the articles of impeachment, just as the Republican-majority Senate is expected to ultimately effectively clear the President of the misdeeds they detail either by full acquittal or dismissal of the articles. However, how individual members vote will likely provide insight into how big of a threat or boon lawmakers see their participation in the impeachment process to their reelection chances and political standing.
