Trumpservatives in the House Freedom Caucus facing trouble in November

While the decline of conservatism within the GOP has been progressing for some time now, its demise has accelerated in the Age of Trump. Nowhere has this fact been more evident than with the Trumpservative metamorphosis we are witnessing from members of the so-called conservative House Freedom Caucus (HFC).

Though not created until 2015, the HFC has its roots in the TEA Party uprising of 2010, and many of its members were first elected to Congress under the TEA Party banner.

In the beginning, the mission of the HFC was clear:

“The House Freedom Caucus gives a voice to countless Americans who feel that Washington does not represent them. We support open, accountable and limited government, the Constitution and the rule of law, and policies that promote the liberty, safety and prosperity of all Americans.”

Sadly, it didn’t take long after the 2016 election for the HFC to abandon its mission in the name of self-preservation as they joined hands with liberal Republicans and Donald Trump — was that being redundant? — and it looks like their decision to pull the plug on their principles will cost them in November.

Consider Dave Brat (R-VA). In a stunning upset in 2014, Brat creamed John Boehner’s right-hand man, House majority leader Eric Cantor, thanks to the backing of formerly conservative talk radio host Laura Ingraham and the TEA Party.

Yet, only four years following his surprise victory, Brat is in danger of losing his seat to Democrat Abigail Spanberger in the solidly Republican district. The reason? In the age of Trump, the House Freedom Caucus has lost its way.

With the death of conservatism within the GOP, and with the HFC’s full embrace of all things Trump regardless of how it conflicts with their mission, Brat finds himself in the unenviable position of trying to convince voters that he still represents conservative values while at the same time, HFC leaders like Jim Jordan (OH) are demanding that members “run toward the president.”

Things have become so desperate for Brat that he’s running TV ads defending puppies while simultaneously and secretly inviting Trump’s controversial former advisor Sebastian Gorka to help his campaign.

When the House Freedom Caucus actually showed a little courage by challenging Trump’s agenda in the beginning of his presidency, the New York liberal targeted them for elimination. Instead of defending conservatism, they caved.

This is why Trumpservatives in Congress are facing defeat in November … and why Democrats look to win BIGLY.

 

 

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David Leach is the owner of The Strident Conservative. His politically incorrect and always “right” columns are also featured on NOQReport.com.

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