<<<DO YOU THINK MATT GAETZ SHOULD BE ATTORNEY GENERAL?>>>

John, 

With all the focus on the incoming Trump administration this past week, it’s easy to forget something basic but important about how our government works: It’s made up of three co-equal branches. 

We’re about to see that in action as the Senate takes on its job to review President-elect Trump’s cabinet picks in the months ahead. 

The President gets to nominate whoever he wants, but it’s the Senate’s job to give advice and consent. That’s not just a rubber stamp—it’s a constitutional check. 

As Alexander Hamilton explained in Federalist 76, the Senate’s role in confirming presidential nominees is to stop “unfit characters” from taking on roles they’re not suited for. 

This week, we saw exactly the kind of person Hamilton warned about: Florida Rep. Matt Gaetz, who’s being put forth as the potential next Attorney General. 

Make no mistake—Matt Gaetz shouldn’t be anywhere near the Attorney General job especially not at a moment when Americans have so little trust in the integrity and fairness of our justice system. 

The Attorney General is America’s top law enforcement officer, in charge of everything from prosecuting crimes to protecting civil rights and safeguarding national security. The person in this job must have an unmatched understanding and respect for the law. Their character must be beyond reproach and they need to convince Americans across the political spectrum they will administer justice fairly and without the influence of politics. 

Yet Matt Gaetz has built his entire public career and political persona around demonizing his political opponents. He only practiced law for two years and has never argued a federal case, led a major legal team, or been involved in complex constitutional or civil rights issues. 

He is not fit to be Attorney General of the United States. 

The good news is that some senators still take their advice and consent responsibility seriously. Amid rumors that Gaetz could somehow bypass Senate confirmation, Senators like Susan Collins, Thom Tillis and John Cornyn made clear they expect him to go through the same rigorous vetting as any other nominee. 

They’re right to demand answers, and more Senators should speak up about any concerns they have.  

What do you think? 

Let us know. 

Margaret White 

No Labels, Co-Executive Director 

Here are 3 takeaways from our No Labels Talks with Jessica Taylor: 

• Economic Priorities Win Votes: Inflation, immigration, and economic anxieties proved decisive in the 2024 election, solidifying their role as the dominant issues shaping voter behavior. 
• Abortion Referendums Largely Won Out: In states with abortion rights on the ballot, voters often separated their views on reproductive rights from their choices in federal races, reducing the issue’s impact on national election outcomes. 
• 2024 Signals Strategic Shifts Ahead: Both parties face a crossroads after the election—Republicans must balance Trump’s personal appeal with building a durable coalition, while Democrats need to broaden their geographic and demographic outreach to stay competitive. 

A Split-Ticket Voting Rebound

By Sam Zickar
The prevailing sentiment among pundits in the run-up to the 2024 election was that it would be a close contest between two evenly matched voter blocs of Republicans and Democrats, making it tough to know who won until every single vote was counted. At the presidential level, it didn’t work out that way—Donald Trump claimed victory in all seven swing states en route to the first popular vote win for a Republican candidate in two decades.

A Bad Day for the “Democracy Reform” Movement

By Peyton Lofton
The 2024 election sent a lot of messages to a lot of people. One of which was that many ideas popular among the “democracy reform” movement may not be popular with voters. Democracy reformers are groups, broadly speaking, who are working on making our government or elections more fair and representative. One idea in particular has become popular among democracy reformers in recent years: ranked choice voting.

Rep. Josh Gottheimer on Andrea Mitchell Reports 

MSNBC
“Regardless, it is going to be a narrowly divided Congress. We know that. Whether they have a few seats ahead or we have a few seats ahead, what will need to happen is we will need to work together to govern in the House. If you look at this past Congress, every major piece of legislation, talking about budgets or foreign aid, all came together through democrats or republicans sitting down at the table and working it out together.” 

To correct course, Democrats need to listen and change the way they talk to voters

By Joe Cunningham 
“The party’s unwillingness to listen to voters and the tone and words used to talk at them led to an election outcome that was as predictable as it was preventable.”  

RSVP to No Labels Talks with Douglas Irwin 

No Labels Talks Episode 31: “Defying Political Gravity?” with Jessica Taylor

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