The top 3 Republicans in House leadership rebuked Steve King after he wondered aloud how the terms “white nationalist” and “white supremacist” became “offensive” during an interview with @tripgabriel. Today’s Daily 202 explains why this time is different: https://t.co/htAU9JgFeV.

— James Hohmann (@jameshohmann) January 11, 2019

1. The midterms showed King could be defeated.
2. King now faces a credible primary challenger, which he has not in the past.
3. Forcefully condemning King now could dissuade him from seeking a 10th term.
4. Iowa will be a battleground again in 2020 for president, Senate and House — and King could be a drag on the rest of the GOP ticket.
5. Republican presidential aspirants have been reluctant to cross King in the past because he commands a loyal following among the devoted grass-roots activists who attend low-turnout caucuses in outsize numbers, but there’s no nominating fight to worry about in 2020.
6. Because they now control the majority, House Democrats can force Republicans to take a position on King.
7. The donor community and the business world have turned on King.
8. Conservative thought leaders are ready to write King out of the movement.