News

Meadows poised for run at leading House conservatives

By Bill Moss, Published: October 27, 2016

U.S. Rep. Mark Meadows could be moving on to a higher profile role in Washington — assuming he wins re-election on Nov. 8.

Political reports from Washington say Meadows, who will win a third term in Congress if he defeats Democratic challenger Rick Bryson on Nov. 8, is the odds-on favorite to win the chairmanship of Freedom Caucus, an arch-conservative faction of representatives who have tried to push the Republican Party’s agenda rightward.
One of nine founders of the Freedom Caucus, Meadows is beloved by Tea Party members and other hard-right political activists for his role in the ouster of Speaker John Boehner in the summer of 2015. Meadows filed a procedural motion that undercut support for the veteran Ohio representative and led to his resignation three months later.
Boehner's head may not be the last trophy that Meadows and other Freedom Caucus members hang. Meadows fueled the narrative that the conservative members are upset with Boehner’s replacement, Wisconsin Rep. Paul Ryan, for his refusal to openly support nominee Donald J. Trump.
“There will be real discussions after Nov. 8 on who our leadership will be and what that will look like going forward,” Meadows told a Wilmington talk radio host. Meadows later said he’s focused entirely on electing Republicans in North Carolina races and not on the Freedom Caucus job, though he doesn’t deny interest. The current chair, Jim Jordan of Ohio, is expected to step down before the caucus elects new officers in a Nov. 28 meeting, Politico reported.
“I would like to throw my hat in the ring for that position,” Meadows told Politico. “If Jim doesn’t run and I’m reelected then I would certainly look to try to gain some support to replace him, only if it was with his blessing and the blessing of the majority of the Freedom Caucus.”
The Washington Examiner reported on Tuesday that Meadows appears to have a clear path to the Freedom Caucus chairmanship.
“He will do a super job," U.S. Rep. David Brat of Virginia, who stunned the Capitol when he upset Republican Majority Leader Eric Cantor in a Republican primary 2014, told the Examiner. “I haven't heard of any other candidates and so I think Meadows will likely win as of right now.”
Besides becoming the de facto spokesman for the most conservative wing of his party in Congress, the Freedom Caucus chair has been included among a handful of Republican leaders who meet weekly to advise the House speaker and help set the agenda for Congress.