GOP Moderates Live In Fear Of Right-Wing Republican Study Committee

By Alan K. Ota, CQ Staff

President Obama’s enviable poll numbers have yet to persuade moderate House Republicans to back key parts of the new administration’s economic agenda.

The moderates are more worried about the pressures from their right, where the Republican Study Committee is taking names and conservatives are raising the prospect of primary challenges, than about potential fallout from opposing a popular president.

No Republican voted for the Obama-backed economic stimulus package (HR 1) when the House passed it on Jan. 28, and the outlook is not much different for an upcoming omnibus fiscal 2009 spending package, the fiscal 2010 budget and a new financial bailout plan.

GOP leaders say they are less worried about defections now than they were during the departed Bush administration. And they see moderate Republicans as offering a good chance of unseating Democrats in marginal districts.

Having failed so far to draw moderate Republicans into the fold on major economic initiatives, and facing possible defections by fiscally conservative “Blue Dog” Democrats, Obama pivoted last week away from offering carrots like White House invitations or opportunities to offer amendments. During a Feb. 5 speech to House Democrats at their retreat in Williamsburg, Va., the president reverted to campaign-style rhetoric.

Rep. Charlie Dent , R-Pa., was unmoved by such warnings. “In this environment, both parties seem to be appealing to their bases. Centrists must carefully weigh each issue,” he said. “I’m more fiscally conservative than most Democrats. That reflects my district.”

Dent and Rep. Fred Upton , R-Mich., were guests at Obama’s Super Bowl party at the White House on Feb. 1, and they were among a dozen moderates hosted last month by Obama’s chief of staff, Rahm Emanuel .

So far, Obama has little to show for his charm offensive. Dent, Upton and their allies in the 33-member, moderate Republican Main Street Partnership opposed the House-passed stimulus legislation, disagreed with the release of an additional $350 billion in bailout funding for the finance industry and are signaling possible opposition to other big pieces of his agenda.

David King, a lecturer in public policy at Harvard University, said Obama is forcing GOP centrists to perform a balancing act. “They know they are most likely to face challenges from the right. So they must protect their right flank, especially on economic issues,” King said.

But there may still be room for cooperation on other issues. “There’s areas for collaboration on education, on health care and embryonic stem cell research,” Dent said.

GOP Leaders Confident

The Faces of the House GOP’s Moderate Wing: Click here to view chart

GOP leaders say they are confident that moderate Republicans will be less likely to defect as members of the opposition party. “We no longer have to worry about being blamed for all of the problems of the president and his administration. Now, it’s the moderate Democrats who have to worry about that,’’ said Rep. Mark Steven Kirk , R-Ill.

In firming up the party line against Democratic spending bills, a new financial rescue package and administration budget priorities, GOP leaders invite their troops to consider the example of moderate freshman Lynn Jenkins , R-Kan. She defeated former Rep. Jim Ryun (1996-2007) in a GOP primary, then ousted Democratic incumbent Nancy Boyda (2007-09), a Blue Dog ally, by labeling her a big spender.

“I promised I would be tight-fisted,’’ Jenkins said. “The bills I’m seeing from Speaker Nancy Pelosi and the Democrats are not tight-fisted at all.”

Kevin McCarthy of California, the House GOP’s chief deputy whip, has led a push to recruit tough-minded moderates like Jenkins to oppose Democrats in divided districts. “We’re going to find the best candidates that represent their districts. There won’t be a litmus test,’’ he said.

But while McCarthy hunts for moderate candidates, the conservative Republican Study Committee (RSC) — which includes more than 100 of the 178 House Republicans — has called for enforcing party unity on big issues and has hinted at retribution against defectors.

Rep. Jeb Hensarling of Texas, a former RSC chairman, fired a warning shot of sorts by ousting moderate Judy Biggert of Illinois from the top GOP slot on the Financial Services Subcommittee on Financial Institutions and Consumer Credit. Hensarling denied that his move was part of an RSC campaign to nudge moderates aside. “I just wanted one of the subcommittees. That’s all,” he said.

But another senior GOP lawmaker said, “The change shows who is running things in our caucus. It’s not the centrists.”

Biggert, who was given the top GOP seat on another Financial Services subcommittee, declined to comment on the shift but said her later vote against the stimulus package was not the result of RSC pressure.

Party leaders say they want to give moderates high-profile jobs and will allow them to defect on some issues. They point to the recent choice of Jo Ann Emerson of Missouri as the top Republican on the Financial Services Appropriations Subcommittee.

“We in our party are working on a strategy of inclusion, not exclusion,” said Minority Whip Eric Cantor of Virginia, an RSC member. “Not anyone is disqualified from getting any job because of their position on an issue.”