Is Your GOP Member Representing You or John Boehner?

Ask yourself this question: is there any Democrat that represents a solid blue congressional district who is not fully committed to advancing the progressive agenda? Is there any Democrat from deep blue territory who rubber stamps the conservative agenda?

Of course not. Democrats utilize the liberal areas of the country to promote their beliefs.

Yet, there are dozens of Republicans who hail from conservative districts but have made a commitment to lick the boots of Speaker John Boehner and leadership rather than fight for their constituents. They not only waste their seats with votes that forward liberal policies but they serve as a malignant force on the rest of the conference. Ironically, even some sitting House members running for Senate are distancing themselves from Boehner and leadership.

We will never change Washington unless we have a Republican Party as committed to fighting for our causes as the Democrat Party is for theirs. The GOP will never fill that vacuum as long as the current leaders are in power – whether in the minority or majority.

In order to change leadership we need to start with replacing their bootlickers, especially those who waste good districts. As Erick noted the other day, this is not about picking primary battles over defeating Democrats in the general election; this is about winning back control of government with the right Republicans so we don’t repeat the same failed cycle of politics.

Surprisingly, a large percentage of Senate Republicans up for reelection this cycle have competitive primaries – in varying degrees. However, few House incumbents have challengers that have raised even minimal sums of money to run an effective campaign. This must change in the coming years if we ever hope to retake the GOP from the failed establishment.

To that end, every week we’ll be highlighting a new establishment member who is ripe for replacement. It might take more than one election cycle to defeat them, but we must begin exposing their lack of commitment to conservative values and their double game of talking the conservative talk at home and serving as a conduit for Boehner and the establishment in D.C.

This member was elected during the 2010 year of the Tea Party. Like most Republicans elected that year, people automatically assumed that she was a conservative who would go up to Washington to change the status quo. But in short order, she made it her goal to become one of the loudest and proudest supporters of the failed GOP leadership. The New York Times even did a profile on her in 2011 portraying her as the biggest defender of leadership from the class of 2010.

During the 2010 election, Republicans made it clear that if they won back the House they would stop funding for Obamacare in budget bills and stop increasing the debt. Yet, this member attacked other conservative freshmen for failing to betray their pledge and support raising the debt ceiling. She quickly became the establishment attack dog against the conservative members. In 2012, she openly admitted that Boehner was her boss, and as such, she had no intention of “causing problems.”

Despite being one of the most passionate advocates of raising the debt ceiling, she took the unprincipled way out a few weeks ago and voted against the bill because it already had enough Democrat votes to pass. Yet, she has been one of the leading fighters against conservative grassroots groups opposing the debt ceiling increase. She is so disconnected from the grassroots back home – the same people who got her elected – that she rarely shows up in much of the district or communicates with local activists.

When her state decisively voted to preserve the definition of marriage, she publicly opposed the measure.

While her fellow North Carolinian, Rep. Mark Meadows was fighting to defund Obamacare, she called the effort “an economic disaster.” This, despite her strong support for the effort early on in 2011 – before she became a creature of Washington.

As she continues to vote for more spending, debt, and funding Obamacare, she has made amnesty her most important issue. There is probably no other Republican in the House who is a more dedicated and passionate supporter of open borders.

Her central North Carolina district is comprised of mainly staunch conservative counties. Her name is Renee Ellmers and she represents North Carolina’s Second district. Are we prepared to waste this seat for another 20 years?