Is this how the Freedom Caucus ends?
Here's why Jim Jordan got walloped by Kevin McCarthy
The recent battle between Reps. Kevin McCarthy (Calif.) and Jim Jordan (Ohio) for House minority leader had all the low-stakes drama of two salutatorians vying for a student council treasurership. Jordan, the founder of the House Freedom Caucus, lost spectacularly on Wednesday to McCarthy, who had the backing of President Trump, in a 159-43 vote.
John Nance Garner, who served under Franklin Roosevelt after losing the Democratic presidential nomination, famously quipped that the vice presidency was "not worth a bucket of warm piss." How high a premium should anyone place on the opportunity to lead a party in the lower chamber under a president who, assuming he signs any hugely significant legislation in the next two years, is more likely to work with the opposition on a gigantic trillion-dollar infrastructure bill that contradicts all your stated principles than he is to work hard for your agenda?
In the days following the midterm election results, Jordan waged a very public campaign against McCarthy in which he argued that his party had lost the House because they had failed to repeal the Affordable Care Act and cut welfare spending. Astonishingly, he really seems to believe it. This is a huge problem for the GOP. House and Senate candidates endorsed by the president won most of their races precisely because they de-emphasized the issues Jordan mentions in favor of talking about immigration and trade. This was true of first timers and Republican incumbents alike. There has never been a large natural constituency for Jordan's boutique political philosophy. The migrant caravan, which Trump seems to have forgotten about in the course of two weeks, turned out the Republican Party, not Heritage Foundation talking points.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Jordan's own Freedom Caucus insisted upon voting against the so-called American Health Care Act in 2017 on the grounds that it was not capricious and cruel enough. It was eventually withdrawn by House Speaker Paul Ryan. Trump's initial response was to call them defenders of Planned Parenthood on Twitter. He only changed his mind about a handful of caucus members — including Florida's probable governor-elect and former Rep. Ron DeSantis (R) — after they criticized Special Counsel Robert Mueller's investigation. Trump doesn't care about your nerd bullet lists; he just wants to win, guys, and he doesn't need you because you don't confirm Cabinet officials or treaties. Even Jordan himself seemed to acknowledge this, albeit half-consciously, in a recent appearance on Fox News. After listing off what he considered Trump's greatest accomplishments — pulling out of the Iran nuclear deal, the summit with Kim Jong Un, the revised NAFTA agreement — he asked his host, "What was the House, what was the Congress' contribution to that?" I think you know the answer, congressman.
In a 2017 interview with Vanity Fair, former House Speaker John Boehner spoke about his experience with Freedom Caucus types: "They can't tell you what they're for. They can tell you everything they're against. They're anarchists. They want total chaos. Tear it all down and start over. That's where their mindset is." I'm not so sure this is true. What they support is clear enough. The problem is that the American people do not agree. A long if non-exhaustive list of issues about which the average American does not and will never care about would include balanced budgets; the deficit; repealing or reducing or otherwise fiddling with Medicare, Medicaid, and Social Security; lower corporate taxes; "deregulation;" and the gold standard.
When is the Republican Party going to accept this? They have a good thing going with the caravan fear-mongering and the recent about-face on NAFTA. Maybe take up Lindsey Graham's old anti-flag burning crusade. No one, not even the billionaires and corporate boards who stand to benefit most from it, are interested in throwback Tea Party constitutionalism.
A GOP House where the fundamental division is between members who really care about these things and members who only pretend to do so is one that is setting itself up for failure. It could lose more seats in 2020 even if President Trump is re-elected.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Matthew Walther is a national correspondent at The Week. His work has also appeared in First Things, The Spectator of London, The Catholic Herald, National Review, and other publications. He is currently writing a biography of the Rev. Montague Summers. He is also a Robert Novak Journalism Fellow.
-
Mary Poppins tour: 'humdinger' of a show kicks off at Bristol Hippodrome
The Week Recommends Stefanie Jones and Jack Chambers are 'true triple threats' as Mary and Bert in 'timeless' production
By Irenie Forshaw, The Week UK Published
-
Jaguar's stalled rebrand
In the spotlight Critics and car lovers are baffled by the luxury car company's 'complete reset'
By Abby Wilson Published
-
What the chancellor's pension megafund plans mean for your money
Rachel Reeves wants pension schemes to merge and back UK infrastructure – but is it putting your money at risk?
By Marc Shoffman, The Week UK Published
-
US election: who the billionaires are backing
The Explainer More have endorsed Kamala Harris than Donald Trump, but among the 'ultra-rich' the split is more even
By Harriet Marsden, The Week UK Published
-
US election: where things stand with one week to go
The Explainer Harris' lead in the polls has been narrowing in Trump's favour, but her campaign remains 'cautiously optimistic'
By Harriet Marsden, The Week UK Published
-
Is Trump okay?
Today's Big Question Former president's mental fitness and alleged cognitive decline firmly back in the spotlight after 'bizarre' town hall event
By Harriet Marsden, The Week UK Published
-
The life and times of Kamala Harris
The Explainer The vice-president is narrowly leading the race to become the next US president. How did she get to where she is now?
By The Week UK Published
-
Will 'weirdly civil' VP debate move dial in US election?
Today's Big Question 'Diametrically opposed' candidates showed 'a lot of commonality' on some issues, but offered competing visions for America's future and democracy
By Harriet Marsden, The Week UK Published
-
1 of 6 'Trump Train' drivers liable in Biden bus blockade
Speed Read Only one of the accused was found liable in the case concerning the deliberate slowing of a 2020 Biden campaign bus
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
How could J.D. Vance impact the special relationship?
Today's Big Question Trump's hawkish pick for VP said UK is the first 'truly Islamist country' with a nuclear weapon
By Harriet Marsden, The Week UK Published
-
Biden, Trump urge calm after assassination attempt
Speed Reads A 20-year-old gunman grazed Trump's ear and fatally shot a rally attendee on Saturday
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published