Newly elected Republican Rep. Derek Schmidt told Fox News Digital that DOGE efforts will be critical in the next Congress, and he believes Republicans will be on the same page as they try to push President-elect Trump’s agenda in January. He explained why he is optimistic.
Mr. Schmidt, who was elected to represent Kansas’ 2nd Congressional District in November, was lobbied against the 1,500-person bill by the newly created Department of Government Efficiency, led by Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy. spoke to Fox News about the impact. The page is a continuation of a resolution being debated in the House of Commons that some conservatives opposed as having too much “pork.”
“Look, this was the No. 1 message from voters last November: They want us to make progress on some of these issues, but they don’t want us to keep doing the same thing and expect different results. It’s not going to make any progress. So it’s going to be chaotic, but that’s what we need to do to get this country back on track.”
Schmidt told Fox News Digital that DOGE reform is part of President Trump’s agenda.
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Former Kansas Congressman Derek Schmidt will be running for Kansas’ 2nd District in January (Getty Images)
“That’s the promise of President Trump, that’s what so many of us have been running for, and that’s what I’m going to at least be a part of accomplishing,” Schmidt said.
“So what helps put the genie back in the bottle, what helps get us back in this direction, you know, this federal system, which our founders gave us and which we have This amazing system of self-governance has been adrift, especially since the New Deal, and I want to participate in solving this problem. I want to leave this country better than I ever thought it would be for my children, and that won’t be true if we don’t start getting a grip on this. We have a bizarre, sprawling federal bureaucracy that is not accountable to voters.”
Despite losing a net two seats in the 435-member House in November, Republicans will maintain a fragile 220-215 majority when the new Congress convenes next month, giving them a strong chance of pushing ahead with President Trump’s policies. There is very little margin for error when doing so.
Schmidt told Fox News Digital that he expected some “disagreement” in the next Congress, calling it “the essence of Democratic autonomy,” but said he was confident Republicans would be united on the big issues. spoke.
“I think it’s going to get the president’s agenda adopted. Look, I think a few things are true. One is, as far as I’ve met with incoming members in the House of Representatives, and as far as I’ve heard, As far as I’m concerned, I’ve talked to current members of Congress and they all seem to understand what we need to do,” said Schmidt, who served as Kansas attorney general for more than a decade.
“We have what is called a trifecta that the voters have given us. They trust us to do what we set out to do and even if we Everyone understands that we have accomplished what we set out to do, even if we disagree over differences.”We have to accomplish what we set out to do, and that’s only if we find a way to spend time together.” It means not to be. ”
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Current Kansas Attorney General Derek Schmidt delivers the “Stamp” speech during the gubernatorial debate at the Kansas State Fair on September 8, 2018 in Hutchinson, Kansas.
Schmidt continued, “Secondly, what’s different now than the last few times when things were going well is that we have a strong Republican president. President Trump didn’t pull any punches. “He was very clear about the direction of his campaign.” He wants to get the country, the kinds of policies he wants to enact, and voters want to get that not just with a win in the Electoral College, not just with his win in the popular vote, but with a trifecta. Approved. We don’t need to understand what the agenda is to make that happen. We have to listen to what the voters said in electing President Trump, what he has expressed on their behalf, and we have to work together and get results. No. ”
After winning both the electoral college and the popular vote, Schmidt told Fox News Digital that it’s clear that Trump has a “trust” from the American people, and House Republicans believe the deadlock in Congress means voters won’t be able to vote. He said he understands that he will not be satisfied. .
“I think voters know what they’re going to choose, and I think they’ve made that decision. I also think that what I believe is the most important message is, do something and make these decisions. I think it’s also very important to maintain that we’re moving forward on issues,”’ Schmidt said.
“If we don’t like it as voters, if we don’t like what you’ve done, it’s going to be judged in two years, four years, six years, but do something. Little can be accomplished in such an impasse.” That is an unacceptable way to lead the greatest nation on earth, and that feeling is fairly widely held, at least among those of us who have held public office. I think they have the spirit of taking action. ”
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President-elect Donald Trump speaks during a press conference at Mar-a-Lago in Palm Beach, Florida, Monday, December 16, 2024 (AP/Evan Vucci)
Fox News Digital asked Schmidt what he’s most looking forward to about serving in Congress, and Schmidt outlined his excitement at being part of what he calls an “extraordinary experiment” in American governance.
“I don’t think so. I don’t mean to put it in the way that Mr. Smith goes to Washington, but each of us who is authorized to represent a group of Americans has an opportunity to be a part of it. “There’s a certain element of truth in the idea that, for all its warts and imperfections, this extraordinary experiment in self-government is still going on,” Schmidt said.
“Many people before us have made great personal sacrifices and paid a huge price to build this country into what it is today. I have the opportunity to participate in rewriting and writing the next chapter, whether it’s in 2 years or 10 years. Whether it’s before or sometime in the future, I want to be able to look back and say, “The difference is that I had better opportunities and direct ways to leave America.” Few people have it. I will never lose sight of what has been entrusted to me.”
Fox News Digital’s Paul Steinhauser contributed to this report
Andrew Mark Miller is a reporter for FOX News. Find him on Twitter @andymarkmiller and email your tips to AndrewMark.Miller@Fox.com.
