As the current Congress got underway, members of the right-wing House Freedom Caucus probably felt a degree of optimism about their power and influence. The radical faction was largely unified; it had relatively specific ambitions; and thanks to then-Speaker Kevin McCarthy’s desperation, Freedom Caucus members were positioned to have an impact.
A year and a half later, the far-right contingent hasn’t just failed to secure any accomplishments, it’s also shrinking.
A year ago this week, for example, members of the group agreed to oust Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia from the Freedom Caucus. It was the first time the faction had ever chosen to kick out one of its members.
But it wasn’t the last time. Republican Rep. Randy Weber of Texas was reportedly pushed out of the conservative group earlier this year because he hadn’t attended enough caucus meetings. Soon after, the Freedom Caucus voted to remove then-Rep. Ken Buck of Colorado, too, because of his willingness to occasionally break with party orthodoxy.
More recently, Republican Rep. Bob Good of Virginia — the chair of the House Freedom Caucus — narrowly lost his re-election bid, coming up short in a GOP primary. Though there will apparently be a recount, if the certified results hold, it means the contingent’s top leader will soon no longer be in Congress.
This week, the Freedom Caucus’ roster grew even smaller. Politico reported:
Members of the House Freedom Caucus ousted Rep. Warren Davidson (R-Ohio) on Monday night — less than a month after he started a firestorm within the group by endorsing Chair Bob Good’s primary challenger. The vote to oust Davidson took place during the group’s weekly closed-door meeting, two Republicans speaking on the condition of anonymity told Politico.
But wait, there’s more: Axios reported that Rep. Troy Nehls didn’t approve of the way the group ousted Davidson, so he quit, too.
“I will continue to support their conservative agenda, I just won’t be a member,” the Texas Republican said. Some might be tempted to argue that the Freedom Caucus will be better off with members who are more closely aligned, but on Capitol Hill, there’s strength in numbers — and right now, the far-right faction’s membership list is moving in the wrong direction. If recent history is any guide, this is usually around the time the faction’s members do something dramatic to remind the political world of their relevance. Watch this space. This post updates our related earlier coverage.
Steve Benen is a producer for "The Rachel Maddow Show," the editor of MaddowBlog and an MS NOW political contributor. He's also the bestselling author of "Ministry of Truth: Democracy, Reality, and the Republicans' War on the Recent Past."
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