A Divided House Party - Why Washington Isn’t Working
Freedom Caucus Stiffs GOP on Campaign Cash
The dispute, which one chief of staff for a House Republican called a “brewing war,” is another sign that the schism between the activist and establishment wings of the House GOP Conference has spread to the campaign trail. Over the summer, conservative- and establishment-aligned outside groups poured millions into primary showdowns between far-right and center-right candidates.
Now it’s continuing in the general election, as Republicans are struggling to head off double-digit seat losses with Donald Trump leading their ticket. The refusal by conservatives to pay has enraged some House Republicans, who say the NRCC and leadership have no control over outside groups. They also note that the NRCC helped many of the nonpaying members get elected in the first place.
“Politics is a team game and outside of the HFC, almost every member of the Republican Conference is busting his or her ass to raise money and get Republicans elected,” said one senior Republican. “The HFC has chosen not to raise money or help get other Republicans elected, but for some reason they think they should control what the NRCC does or how it spends its money? That’s nuts.”