Republicans Are Out Of Touch, Says GOP Senator Who Threw Capitol Hill B-Day Bash For His Dog

Republican Sen. Jim Justice of West Virginia has acknowledged that his party risks losing touch with ordinary Americans, weeks after he threw a Capitol Hill birthday party for his bulldog, Babydog. The admission comes as Americans contend with expensive housing, fuel and groceries, and as diesel averages $6.50 a gallon nationwide, according to Daily Caller.

The party, held earlier this month, marked Babydog's seventh birthday and drew dozens of lawmakers, staffers and reporters. Dressed in a cowboy hat and red bandana, the dog was wheeled down a corridor in a custom baby carriage and later posed for photos. In the days afterward, Justice apparently reconsidered how the festivities looked. The writer suggests several possible triggers, including fuel costs, pet food prices, unfavorable polls, or a staff member's warning that celebrating a dog in Washington while diesel prices soar reflects poorly.

Speaking Wednesday to the Washington Examiner, Justice conceded that Republicans have "glossed over" people who are "really hurting." He said his party can become "tone deaf" and should take responsibility, without pinning blame on the president or Congress. "We ought to own it. Period," he said.

This was not the senator's first such celebration. In October 2025, during a federal government shutdown, he marked Babydog's sixth birthday at the Capitol with balloons and bulldog-themed cake pops, as staffers lined up to applaud while she rode past in her trademark carriage.

Summarized by PolitiKool from Daily Caller’s reporting. Read the full story at Daily Caller →