Remember, the GOP filed this Motion. How do you know that they might have purposely put that attorney on the case because he did intern for this judge and they knew the judge would have to recuse himself. Maybe they heard that something else was going on with this judge, or that somebody threatened his family and they decided that they had to bail on this judge. Not saying that is the case, but it could have been for some reason like that. You would think that GOP would have done their homework and NOT put this attorney on the case. The ex-intern clearly knew what would happen when he signed on with this judge. I interned for a federal judge and I know if I jumped on a case after my stint clerking for the fed judge this could come up.
They have to keep looking. Maybe in a different county. I have known of cases where every judge in the entire district court did recuse because of the attorney involved in the case. They had to keep searching for a judge. Usually outside the county where the court is located in.