Rep. John Katko of New York’s 24th District endorsed President Trump’s re-election campaign this week. Katko’s endorsement was not guaranteed in the way that it is for most other Republicans, as he didn’t even vote for Trump in 2016.

Katko’s proximity to Trump, or lack thereof, has been under intense scrutiny since 2016. In the 2018 challenge to his seat, Democrat challenger Dana Balter accused Katko of being a “Yes man for Donald Trump.”

Despite all of the hand-wringing that may follow this announcement, Katko’s decision is an obvious one.

John Katko was elected to represent his district and to vote according to the principles he articulated during his campaign. He wasn’t elected to save the country nor was he elected to single-handedly restore decency to American politics.

Katko’s critics feign outrage when a center-right Republican shockingly decides to vote for a tax cut, and they apparently expect him to vote for Bernie Sanders or Elizabeth Warren just to spite the president. This is the central delusion of the angry Democrats Dana Balter speaks for.

If you were to ask them what a Trump-skeptical Republican or Independent would actually get for voting against their party’s nominee, the answer would be that their newfound allies should sit quietly and play nice while they vote to dismantle the American healthcare system and swear in liberal justices.

Katko’s reward for voting for Bernie Sanders would be a pat on the head, a primary challenge, and a Huffington Post blogger tweeting that he was on “the right side of history.”

Democrats ultimately have nothing to offer moderate Republicans like Katko, and if his 2018 victory was any indication, this year Dana Balter will have to wrack her brain for a deeper campaign message than saying the President’s name until she’s blue in the face.

As protocol demands for any topic concerning President Donald J. Trump, Katko’s endorsement will evoke overreactions and more than a few attack ads. Nonetheless, Katko will likely continue to be a moderate and restrained representative for the Syracuse area despite the righteously indignant Facebook posts he inspires.

Michael Furnari is a junior broadcast and digital journalism major. His column appears bi-weekly. He can be reached at mpfurnar@syr.edu. He can be followed on Twitter at @FurnariMichael.

Published on January 27, 2020 at 10:34 pm