Josh Hawley Irks Republicans as He Carves Out 2028 Lane

“Since he took office in 2019, Sen. Josh Hawley (R-MO) has sought to place himself on the front lines of orienting the Republican Party around a mix of economic populism and social conservatism to appeal to an increasingly working-class base,” NBC News reports.

“But now, with Republicans in full control of Congress for the first time since he arrived in Washington, Hawley’s mission is coming into conflict with members of his party, who are frustrated with his tendency to follow the beat of his own drum as he grows more critical of some of their policy aims.”

A senior Senate aide said it appeared that Hawley was “trying to load up policy prescriptions to lay the groundwork for a 2028 presidential bid.”