'Watershed moment': Freedom Caucuser predicts group could fragment even further
The far-right House Freedom Caucus' troubles might only just be getting started.
The infamous group, known for its firebrand politics, suffered an earthquake this week after Rep. Warren Davidson (R-OH) was booted from membership, quickly followed by the resignation of Rep. Troy Nehls (R-TX). But according to Politico's Olivia Beavers, another member, Rep. Ralph Norman (R-SC), thinks more departures could be coming soon.
"The House Freedom Caucus is facing a watershed moment, as several internal clashes risk ripping the group apart," wrote Beavers, noting that some members expect more resignations in protest of the Davidson removal. Speaking to reporters about the possibility of these resignations, Norman said, “I’m sure we’ll have some. We’ve got a lot of issues to address.”
The House GOP's razor-thin majority, earned after a surprising underperformance from expectations in the 2022 midterms, left the Freedom Caucus with an unusually high amount of power over the Republican caucus, as leadership can only afford to lose a small handful of votes on any party-line issue.
Freedom Caucus members played a key role in ousting former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) from power last year, even though a majority of the group's members voted against vacating him. Other drama from the group in recent years included the expulsion of Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA) over concerns about her being too close to House GOP leadership, with whom members routinely clash.
This week's departures come shortly after the group's chair, Rep. Bob Good (R-VA), went down in his primary against a Trump-endorsed candidate who was present at the Jan. 6 attack, contributing even further to the chaos within the group.
The Freedom Caucus' continued power is heavily dependent on Republicans retaining control of the House in this year's election, where Democrats have long been thought to have a good chance at reclaiming the majority but whose fortunes may be tied to President Joe Biden's performance at the top of the ticket.