Former Bush Staffers Decry Partisan Divide in Congress

Republican Congressional and White House staff express shock at the lack of bipartisanship in today's political climate.

Apr. 11, 2026 at 11:41am

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A dimly lit, cinematic painting of an empty congressional hearing room, with warm sunlight streaming in through the windows and deep shadows casting a somber mood. The room feels isolated and disconnected, reflecting the growing partisan divide in American politics.The once-bustling halls of Congress now echo with partisan divisions, a far cry from the bipartisan spirit of decades past.Washington Today

According to a Washington Post report, former Republican staffers who worked under President George W. Bush are dismayed by the current state of partisan rancor in Congress. Jean Becker, Bush's post-presidency chief of staff, said "Oh, my God, what the hell happened to us?" in reference to the absence of civil dialogue between Republicans and Democrats. Former Senator Roy Blunt (R-Mo.) noted that the demise of the political middle ground has "fundamentally changed Congress and campaigns", with fewer states having senators from both parties.

Why it matters

The growing partisan divide in Congress has led to an increasingly dysfunctional legislative process, with lawmakers more focused on party loyalty than finding common ground on issues that matter to most Americans. This trend threatens to further erode public trust in government and make it even harder to address the country's pressing challenges.

The details

The Washington Post analysis found that in 2025, Congress was ranked as the most partisan since Congressional Quarterly began tracking the measure in 1953. The tally found that 85.3% of roll calls were "party unity votes", meaning a majority of each party was on opposite sides. This is a sharp increase from 1990, when the comparable rate was 54% in the Senate and 49% in the House. Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich, known for his partisan tactics, even admitted to the Post that he worries "things have gone too far."

  • The Washington Post report was published on April 11, 2026.

The players

Jean Becker

Served as George W. Bush's post-presidency chief of staff for 25 years.

Roy Blunt

Former Republican Senator from Missouri who did not seek reelection in 2022.

Newt Gingrich

Former Republican House Speaker who is credited with building the modern partisan GOP.

Steve Schmidt

Republican strategist who has criticized Gingrich's role in the party's shift towards greater partisanship.

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What they’re saying

“You're like, 'Oh, my God, what the hell happened to us?'”

— Jean Becker, George W. Bush's post-presidency chief of staff

“The demise of a middle ground has fundamentally changed Congress and campaigns.”

— Roy Blunt, Former Republican Senator from Missouri

“It is the party that Newt Gingrich built. It is a party of grievance, resentment and bigotry.”

— Steve Schmidt, Republican strategist

“No. No. The trick is to find the issues that drive the other party to be for you.”

— Newt Gingrich

What’s next

Gingrich recently formed the America's New Majority Project to poll and research issues with 'broad support', but he admitted to the Post that he is not working with any Democrats on the initiative.

The takeaway

The growing partisan divide in Congress, fueled in part by the tactics of former Speaker Gingrich, has led to an increasingly dysfunctional legislative process that threatens to further erode public trust in government. Restoring bipartisanship and finding common ground on key issues will be crucial for addressing the country's pressing challenges.