Republicans from various factions in the GOP are racing to distance themselves — and the party at large — from a band of hard-line House conservatives whose flirtation with forming a caucus espousing white nationalist views has ignited a firestorm of controversy on Capitol Hill.
GOP leaders, anti-Trump centrists and vulnerable Republicans in battleground districts wasted little time in recent days denouncing the “America First Caucus,” whose stated purpose in a platform document included the defense of America as a nation “strengthened by a common respect for uniquely Anglo-Saxon political traditions."
While the Republicans reportedly behind the group — including Reps. Marjorie Taylor Greene
Marjorie Taylor GreeneGOP efforts to downplay danger of Capitol riot increase The Memo: What now for anti-Trump Republicans? Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene says she's meeting with Trump 'soon' in Florida MORE (Ga.) and Paul Gosar
Paul Anthony GosarOvernight Health Care: CDC director warns of 'pandemic of the unvaccinated' | Biden says social media platforms 'killing people' | Florida accounts for 20 percent of new cases Hillicon Valley: Biden: Social media platforms 'killing people' | Tech executives increased political donations amid lobbying push | Top House antitrust Republican forms 'Freedom from Big Tech Caucus' Top House antitrust Republican forms 'Freedom from Big Tech Caucus' MORE (Ariz.) — appear to have abandoned the project in the face of bipartisan criticism, their very interest has created an enormous headache for Republican leaders seeking to steer the party away from an image of racial insensitivity and appeal to a broader swath of voters, including women and minorities, in the post-Trump era.
The America First Caucus, operational or not, has complicated that unifying message.
“This is a modern, decaf version of the KKK — a group designed to elevate one race and ethnicity by diminishing all others. It should be summarily dismissed and condemned,” former Rep. Carlos Curbelo
Carlos Luis CurbeloDirect air capture is a crucial bipartisan climate policy Biden's corporate tax hike is bad for growth — try a carbon tax instead Cheney fight stokes cries of GOP double standard for women MORE (R-Fla.), a Cuban American and supporter of comprehensive immigration reform, told The Hill on Monday.
Asked about the proposed America First agenda, Rep. John Katko
John Michael KatkoHouse passes host of bills to strengthen cybersecurity in wake of attacks House passes bill to require TSA plan on improving airport security screenings during pandemic Biden opens new cyber fight with China MORE (R-N.Y.), the chairman of the moderate Republican Governance Group, said in a statement to The Hill: “Our nation was founded upon freedom and equality. As Americans we should always strive to uphold and advance these fundamental values.
“Racism and nativism are antithetical to our core principles and should have no place in our society, let alone the Halls of Congress,” Katko said, adding that he was speaking for himself and not the Governance Group, formerly known as the Tuesday Group.
An America First Caucus “policy platform” began circulating on Capitol Hill late last week, sparking a public outcry and private handwringing from GOP leaders and rank-and-file lawmakers. First reported by Punchbowl News, the seven-page draft document called for an end to mail-in voting, COVID-19 government restrictions and U.S. foreign aid. But it also promoted what it called America’s “uniquely Anglo-Saxon political traditions” and infrastructure projects that reflect “European architecture.”
It’s unclear if Gosar and Greene — a firebrand first-term conservative who has become one of former President Trump
Donald TrumpOn The Money: Schumer pressured from all sides on spending strategy | GOP hammers HUD chief over sluggish rental aid | Democrat proposes taxes on commercial space flights Overnight Health Care: Fauci clashes with Paul - again | New York reaches .1B settlement with opioid distributors | Delta variant accounts for 83 percent of US COVID-19 cases Overnight Defense: Military justice overhaul included in defense bill | Pentagon watchdog to review security of 'nuclear football' | Pentagon carries out first air strike in Somalia under Biden MORE's most strident defenders on Capitol Hill — are truly scrapping the idea of an America First Caucus. In a series of tweets Saturday, Greene dismissed the policy document as a “staff level draft proposal from an outside group” that she had never approved, while lashing out at the “scum and liars in the media.”
But she added that she and her pro-Trump colleagues would find a way to “drive President Trump’s America First agenda,” adding that “America First policies will save this country for all of us, our children, and ultimately the world.”
The America First document is also making life complicated for many of Greene’s GOP colleagues in the class of 2020, which made history as the most diverse group of first-term GOP lawmakers. They include two Korean Americans from Orange County, Calif., Reps. Young Kim and Michelle Steel; two Black lawmakers, Reps. Burgess Owens of Utah and Byron Donalds of Florida; two Cuban Americans from Miami, Reps. Maria Elvira Salazar and Carlos Gimenez; a Mexican American, Rep. Tony Gonzales of Texas; and the first Republican Native American woman in Congress, Rep. Yvette Herrell of New Mexico.
The America First platform “is complete bullshit and a huge distraction,” said one GOP strategist who works on House campaigns. “It undermines the bigger and more important story here, that there is strong diversity within the Republican Party and this current freshman class is providing us a strong path forward on how to connect with and relate to an increasingly more diverse electorate.”
Most of the first-term GOP lawmakers have not commented yet, but Steel, who ousted Democratic Rep. Harley Rouda
Harley Edwin RoudaFormer Rep. Rohrabacher says he took part in Jan. 6 march to Capitol but did not storm building Republicans race for distance from 'America First Caucus' California was key factor in House GOP's 2020 success MORE, told The Hill that immigrant stories like hers “reflect the future” of the GOP and said “diversity in our party is our strength.”
Rep. Nancy Mace
Nancy MaceLawmakers introduce bipartisan Free Britney Act Eric Bolling joining Newsmax Vandalism at Rep. Mace's home sparks bipartisan outcry MORE (R-S.C.), who also flipped a Democratic-held seat, asked if the America First Caucus platform was “a joke,” adding in a tweet that “America First should mean ALL Americans. Wherever you are from, whatever you believe, as long as you want to be here and be free.”
Rep. Adam Kinzinger
Adam Daniel KinzingerSix takeaways: What the FEC reports tell us about the midterm elections The Hill's 12:30 Report - Presented by Facebook - Manchin on board with spending deal Pro-impeachment Republicans outpace GOP rivals in second-quarter fundraising MORE (Ill.), one of 11 Republicans who voted with Democrats in February to oust Greene from her congressional committees, went a step further, calling on the House Republican Conference to expel any lawmaker who signs up for the America First Caucus.
“While we can’t prevent someone from calling themselves Republican, we can loudly say they don’t belong to us,” Kinzinger tweeted.
Top GOP leaders also stepped in to condemn the group’s message. Rep. Liz Cheney
Elizabeth (Liz) Lynn CheneyTrump says he'll meet with Cheney challengers ahead of endorsement Pelosi weighing GOP picks for Jan. 6 probe Jim Jordan among McCarthy picks for Jan. 6 panel MORE (Wyo.), the third-ranking House Republican, characterized the GOP as a party of “equal opportunity” and “tolerance” — one that rejects “racism, nativism, and anti-Semitism.”
And House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy
Kevin McCarthyPelosi weighing GOP picks for Jan. 6 probe The Hill's Morning Report - Will Schumer back down on his deadline? Jim Jordan among McCarthy picks for Jan. 6 panel MORE (R-Calif.) volunteered a similar message, framing the GOP as a party that spurns the politics of race and identity.
“The Republican Party is the party of Lincoln & the party of more opportunity for all Americans — not nativist dog whistles,” McCarthy tweeted on Friday.
GOP leaders avoided naming the nascent group, however, as well as the lawmakers behind it. And some Republicans suggested that’s because party leaders also face the awkward political reality that nativist politics — like that embraced by Trump — has been effective in animating the party’s conservative base.
“If the GOP doesn't stand up and identify these individuals for who they are ... there's real trouble there. But to say the GOP is in trouble, they're not,” former Rep. Denver Riggleman
Denver RigglemanGosar to hold fundraiser with white nationalist Nick Fuentes Democrats plot next move after GOP sinks Jan. 6 probe Cheney calls Greene's comments on House mask policy 'evil lunacy' MORE (R-Va.) told CNN on Monday. “In 2022, I think they're going to take back the [House] majority on some of this messaging.”
Indeed, Greene has emerged this year as among the most potent fundraisers in the House, pulling in an extraordinary $3.2 million in the first quarter despite being stripped of her committee seats. By contrast, Cheney, the daughter of a former vice president, raised less than half that amount.
Those dynamics have frustrated institutionalist Republicans, who lament the party’s shift toward nativism under Trump and yearn for a return to the traditional GOP platform of small government, free trade and strong defense.
Former Speaker John Boehner
John Andrew BoehnerStripping opportunity from DC's children Here's what Congress is reading at the beach this summer Biden sister has book deal, set to publish in April MORE (R-Ohio) called the America First Caucus "one of the nuttiest things I've ever seen."
"Republicans need to denounce it," he said Sunday on NBC’s “BoehnerJohn Andrew BoehnerStripping opportunity from DC's children Here's what Congress is reading at the beach this summer Biden sister has book deal, set to publish in April MORE-pro-trump-america-first-caucus-one-of-the-nuttiest-things">Meet the Press."
House Democrats’ campaign arm isn’t letting leading Republicans off the hook that easy. The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC) on Monday called on its GOP counterpart to donate $175,000 in campaign cash that Greene pledged to contribute to the National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC).
“Minority Leader McCarthy and Rep. Tom Emmer
Thomas (Tom) Earl EmmerHouse Republicans post record fundraising ahead of midterms Republicans look to hammer Democrats over gas prices House GOP campaign arm hits vulnerable Democrats on inflation in July 4 ad campaign MORE have continued to cling to Marjorie Taylor Greene after the dangerous QAnon conspiracies she peddled egged on the deadly insurrection at the U.S. Capitol. Now, The NRCC and Washington Republicans are standing by Marjorie Taylor Greene — and her $175,000 in campaign cash — just days after she attempted to form a white supremacist caucus in Congress,” DCCC spokesman Chris Taylor wrote in an email.
“If McCarthy and Emmer have any courage at all, the NRCC would donate the $175,000 Marjorie Taylor Greene funneled into their coffers to an organization that combats white supremacist hate.”
The NRCC did not respond to a request for comment.
