(Molly Bruns, Headline USA) Members of the House Freedom Caucus chose Rep. Bob Good, R-Va., as their new leader—the fifth caucus chairman since it formed in 2015—in hopes of swaying several upcoming pieces of legislation, Axios reported.
Although its ranks grew considerably between the 2018 and 2020 elections, when it went from 30 members to more than 45, the caucus is still relatively small considering the outsize influence it wields over the House’s GOP majority.
That is expected to continue under Good’s leadership due to the increasingly narrow margins with the recent expulsion of Rep. George Santos, R-N.Y., and planned retirement of former Speaker Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif.
The conservative group has played a part in the decision by former Speaker John Boehner, R-Ohio, to leave his post, as well as the October removal of McCarthy using by invoking a motion to vacate— a rule that had been brokered during his contentious speakership election in January.
Several members of the caucus have found themselves suddenly sprung into high-ranking leadership roles. Rep. Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, holds the the top seat on the House Judiciary Committee. Former Reps. Mick Mulvaney, R-S.C., and Mark Meadows, R-N.C., both served as chiefs of staff to former President Donald Trump. Current Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis also was a charter member.
Under McCarthy’s speakership, the Freedom Caucus managed to place six of its members on the House Oversight Committee, allowing the group to investigate the Biden administration’s more suspicious activities and lead the way in the impending impeachment hearings against President Joe Biden.
Despite its impressive hold over the House, the caucus is not unfamiliar with internal drama.
Rep. Warren Davidson, R-Ohio, who most recently acted as the caucus whip, voiced concern over putting Good for the leadership role role when he announced he would not run to be on the group’s board again.
“I am concerned that our group often relies too much on power (available primarily due to the narrow majority) and too little on influence with and among our colleagues,” Davidson wrote in an open letter to his colleagues.
“I ask that we consider how to best increase our influence while preserving our power to move policy in the right direction,” he added. “I strongly feel that Bob Good as Chairman will impair that objective.”
NEW: Rep. Warren Davidson tells Freedom Caucus colleagues he won’t seek reelection to the group’s board, citing issues with the recommendation that Rep. Bob Good serve as the next chairman. pic.twitter.com/Bm2Q9tKQiV
— Juliegrace Brufke (@juliegraceb) December 11, 2023
Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga., faced removal from the caucus after her staunch support for McCarthy’s speakership, along with derogatory public remarks against Rep. Lauren Boebert, R-Colo.
More moderate Republicans have often voiced their resentment of the caucus, claiming that leadership caters to them too often.
RINOs planned to squash the ambitions of the caucus, which included making targeted spending cuts, ability to cut select federal salaries and cutting specific federal programming.
