As federal workers face missed paychecks and critical programs face the axe, Republican Senate candidates and lawmakers spent the weekend… at a luxury resort in Georgia.
Instead of working to reopen the government or protect Americans from devastating budget cuts, Senate Republicans and NRSC-backed candidates attended a high-dollar retreat described as “a mix of work with a lot of play.” While millions of families face the fallout of a shutdown, GOP politicians were sipping cocktails and cozying up to lobbyists and wealthy donors.
Ashley Hinson and John Cornyn (both of whom have made it clear they’d rather shut down the government than make sure people have health care) chose luxury and donor schmoozing over standing with federal workers. Their attendance, while Russ Vought slashes jobs and guts funding for critical programs – including a $2.9 million cut to energy projects in Iowa – sends a clear message: they’re not fighting for working Americans who are already getting crushed by rising costs.
Also in attendance: Mike Rogers and Michael Whatley who are full-throated supporters of the GOP’s slash and burn shutdown strategy. While they aren’t in the Senate, they’ve made clear they stand with Project 2025 architect Russ Vought and the GOP agenda to rip away health care and make everything more expensive for Americans.
“Republicans love to cry about spending, until it comes to themselves,” said American Bridge 21st Century spokesperson Nico Delgado. “They’ll bankrupt working families and cut health care, and then turn around and pour donor money into luxury weekends while health care premiums skyrocket and federal employees are being sent home without pay.”
Published: Oct 7, 2025