Friends,
As the 2024 election gets closer and closer, Republican presidential candidates are recognizing how support from state Freedom Caucus members is crucial to winning over the conservative base. Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, a founding member of the House Freedom Caucus, took questions from over 100 Freedom Caucus state legislators in our network on Monday.
It was a great town hall and we look forward to doing them with former President Donald Trump and the rest of the GOP field later this summer.
Louisiana
When we talk to conservatives all around the country about the need for state Freedom Caucuses, they are often shocked to learn about the things RINOs are doing in their own backyards. If you think you’re being well-represented because you live in a ruby red state, you couldn’t be more wrong.
For example: Did you know that Louisiana Speaker of the House Clay Schexnayder (ACU rating: 66%) was elected with more Democrat votes than Republicans?
That probably explains why RINOs in the legislature teamed up with Democrats this week to bust the state spending caps and blow $1.65 billion of surplus taxpayer money on pet projects in legislators’ districts. It could’ve been used for tax relief or to pay off debt but will instead be used so that politicians can buy votes.
The Louisiana Freedom Caucus led the charge to try and stop the orgy of spending. They needed 36 Republicans in order to kill it (the LA House is 71R-33D) but at the end of the day, only 19 decided that fiscal responsibility was important to them. A conservative news outlet, the Louisiana Hayride recognized this:
There were 19 members of the Louisiana House of Representatives – led by the Louisiana Freedom Caucus, all of whose members stood together – who were clear-eyed and courageous enough to vote against this atrocious resolution. They didn’t win, and in fact they were made fun of…but they held to principle. And they’re worthy of credit for that. The 19 deserve re-election.
South Carolina:
The Freedom Caucus in the Palmetto State won a major legal victory this week.
Establishment politicians attempted to use obscure state ethics laws to stop the SCFC from raising money, endorsing candidates, and conducting other normal activities of a political organization. To date, this is a privilege that the Establishment has for itself, but not the SC Freedom Caucus.
Thanks to the efforts of our friends at the America First Legal (AFL), a South Carolina judge permanently blocked the enforcement of theses laws, delivering a major victory for the First Amendment.
The uniparty in South Carolina is terrified of the the Freedom Caucus’ success. This is why House GOP leadership took the unprecedented step of kicking their members out of the entire Republican caucus. With this legal hurdle out of their way, the SCFC will only continue to grow in power.
Read the full release from AFL.
Arizona:
It was an extremely busy week in the Grand Canyon State where the Arizona Freedom Caucus was hard at work passing conservative legislation. Here are two examples:
They passed Prop 400 that would eliminate the expansion of the utterly failed light rail system. It would also provide a guaranteed tax cut of $241 million and give the voters the opportunity to cut the sales tax by $3.37 billion.
They also passed HCR 2039, which would constitutionally terminate the Governor’s emergency powers during a state of emergency after 30 days.
Liberal Governor Katie Hobbs will likely veto Prop 400, but HCR 2039 will go directly to the voters. The Left in Arizona is furious that the AZ Freedom Caucus continues to thwart their radical woke agenda.
Wyoming
We have written at length about the conservative betrayals that happened in the last session of the Wyoming legislature. Donald Trump won the Cowboy State by a greater percentage than any other state, but House Speaker Albert Sommers singlehandedly blocked universal school choice, a ban on ending grooming in school classrooms, and a ban on transgender surgeries for minors.
Not only that but even though there are only seven total Democrats, the Wyoming legislature has more members with liberal voting records than conservative.
Take Sommers for example, who votes with Democrat Leader Rep. David Yin 80% of the time in comparison to only 52% with conservative WYFC Chairman Rep. John Bear.
It’s a systemic problem that the Freedom Caucus is exposing on a daily basis.
Read this full letter to the editor from a Wyoming constituent.
Mississippi
The American Conservative Union recently released their 2022 scorecard for the Magnolia State. The results? Members of the MS Freedom Caucus secured the Top 5 scores. MSFC Chair Dana Criswell and MSFC member Joel Bomgar tied for the top score with a 95% rating. Sadly, the average MS House Republican score was an anemic 60%.
Illinois:
Democrats in the Illinois Legislature recently killed a school choice scholarship program that serves over 7,000 working class kids in the state. Gov. JB Pritzker, Senate President Harmon, and House Speaker Welch all sent their kids to expensive private schools but chose to deny educational opportunities to underprivileged students to please their teachers union puppet masters.
Watch this epic speech on the House Floor from ILFC member Rep. Blaine Wilhour ripping into the Democrats for betraying Illinois students. Conservative victories may be rare in Illinois, but our IL Freedom Caucus won't be quiet when the Left attacks our liberties.
Keep fighting,
Andy Roth
President
State Freedom Caucus Network
P.S. Your help is critical in building out a network of patriots and freedom fighters throughout our nation’s state capitols and in your home state. Please consider a contribution and join us as we work to advance the cause of liberty.