Weekend thread: What's happening?

GOP congressman pushed out of party after supporting gun laws. Ohio moves to "genital exams" to bar trans athletes. Dr Oz, a product of Oprah and Trump, will be Pennsylvania's GOP Senate candidate.

In the days after the Buffalo mass shooting, GOP Congressman Chris Jacobs, right-wing as they come and with a perfect NRA score, came out for an assault weapons ban, saying he had to follow his “conscious.” Jacobs, from a prominent, wealthy Buffalo family, represents a district that stretches from the Buffalo suburbs well into a big part of rural, Western New York.

It’s ruby red Trump country. That hasn’t changed much with redistricting. Jacobs was immediately heralded by those who support gun laws — and that includes many gun owners in his district. His own polling after his announcement showed he could still win the election.

But the authoritarian GOP leadership clearly couldn’t tolerate any dissent, lest others buck the gun lobby too. Within seven days, the GOP leadership threatened Jacobs with a primary challenge. Donald Trump Jr. ranted against him on Twitter.

And Jacobs soon announced he’s not running for re-election.