Budget Battle: Boehner Keeps Freshmen in Line

Freshmen Republicans are resisting pressure from their base, and for the most part appear to have been siding with party leadership over the last few weeks.

So what role are freshman Republicans playing in the looming government shutdown? Not one that is markedly different from the other members of the GOP.

Indeed, the freshmen have been notably united with the leadership on messaging, particularly when it comes to expressing whether or not Republicans want a shutdown. Freshmen Republicans have said over and over again during press conferences this week that they don’t want to see the government shut down. This is in contrast to conservative activists, many of whom gathered on Capitol Hill earlier this week to encourage exactly the opposite.

Take also yesterday’s vote on the Republican-proposed continuing resolution that would extend government funds for a week while funding the military for the rest of the year. Only six Republicans voted ‘nay’ on the continuing resolution: Reps. Michele Bachmann, Ron Paul, Joe Barton, Steve King, along with two freshman reps.: Justin Amash and Mick Mulvaney.

Compare the lack of dissenting votes to the 54 Republicans who voted against the last continuing resolution the House passed on March 15, the one that has funded the government over the last few weeks.

As such, it appears that freshmen are choosing to side with leadership for now. This unity shows that the freshmen are choosing their battles carefully, and that the fight over a continuing resolution lasting for less than six months isn’t one they will choose to expend much political capital on.

But this solidarity should not be mistaken for a lack of action or the dimming of opinions. For the last week, led by Rep. Rick Crawford (R-AR), freshmen congressmen have been congregating on the East Senate Steps every single day to call on Senate Majority Harry Reid to pass a funding bill – any funding bill at all that would move the conversation forward towards the reconciliation process. Every single day, freshmen have been noting how long it’s been since the House passed their proposed funding bill, House Rule 1 (today, it’s been 48 days).

The lack of open dissent between freshmen and its leadership may be temporary, but as Washington faces the prospect of a government shutdown, all hands are on deck.

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