The biltmont estate, which houses the former mansion of former President George W. Bush, has long been a place of political power for House Republicans.
They’ve won reelection on the back of a populist appeal and a promise to spend a chunk of the surplus in public works.
But as the midterm elections approach, it appears that the property’s power could come to an end.
In a bid to save the estate from foreclosure, the Republican Party of Ohio has proposed a measure that would require the bidders to prove they’re financially stable to buy the property.
If the party loses in the general election, it would have to pay off its loans or pay off the federal government.
The proposal would also force the owners to sell off the property within 60 days of the election, which could mean a loss for the GOP, though that is unlikely to happen.
The estate’s owners have already started making plans to buy out the remaining homeowners, with a plan to sell it for $4.6 million.
House Speaker Mike Turzai, a Republican from Columbus, is expected to announce that he will support the bill as soon as the end of the month.
It’s the latest sign that Republican House candidates are considering whether they’ll be able to stay in power in the wake of President Donald Trump’s unexpected victory last November.
Democrats, meanwhile, are looking for a way to save their House majority.
If Republicans lose, the Democrats have a lot of leverage to push back against the GOP and make sure the party does not repeat the mistakes of 2016, when Democrats controlled both chambers for just over four years.
The Trump administration has already been weighing a move to end the lease, but Turzai said he was not prepared to make any changes.
He did, however, say he would support efforts to protect the property and help homeowners who want to sell.
“It would be nice to save some of the properties, but it is not a silver bullet,” Turzai told reporters.
