Neither one deliberately set out to end the other’s career in Congress; the redistricting plan that put them in the same district was handed down by a court. Both of them chose to run in this new district, instead of an adjacent one, because this is the district where they live. It’s not like either one can contend that they’re being cheated out of an illustrious future career in Congress; Maloney is 76 years old, Nadler is 75.
Is staying in Congress for a 31st and 32nd year worth trying to destroy the reputation of someone you audaciously still call a friend? Apparently, it is.
If you’re a conservative, this is all hilarious. Two longtime allies with little to no ideological distinction are turning on each other with ferocity and venom, turning their primary into a demolition derby just out of a desire to stay in Congress for a few more years — years that are extremely likely to be spent in the minority!
But, if you suspect that politics rots your brain and corrodes your soul, this is rather vivid evidence that the longer you stay in power, the more you prioritize staying there. In the end, winning another term is all that matters to these two.
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