Debt Ceiling

Hope For Boehner? Some House Conservatives Closing Ranks On Debt Limit Bill

Brian Beutler | July 27, 2011, 11:26AM

On Tuesday, conservative Republican Study Committee chairman Jim Jordan (R-OH) predicted defeat for House Speaker John Boehner's (R-OH) plan to raise the debt limit.

"I am confident as of this morning that there are not 218 Republicans in support of the plan," he said.

He was counting on the opposition of dozens of House conservatives who have in the past pledged not to raise the debt limit on terms that compromising with Democrats would require.

Twenty-four hours later, after taking a beating from the GOP establishment and party leadership, and after watching Democrats grow more and more confident in their ability to split the Republican coalition, those conservatives are reconsidering their rebellion.

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Medicare

New Dem PAC Launches Attack Ads Against GOPers Who Voted To End Medicare (AUDIO)

Brian Beutler | April 20, 2011, 11:16AM

Rep. Sean Duffy (R-WI)

A new political action committee dedicated to ending the Republican majority in the House unveiled its first major ad buy Wednesday -- attacking Republicans for voting to end Medicare while giving wealthy Americans a tax cut.

"House Republicans are breaking the trust our country has with its seniors by ending Medicare as we know it, making them pay more for prescriptions drugs, and by forcing them to turn to the private health insurance market," said Alixandria Lapp, Executive Director of House Majority PAC, in a statement. "House Republicans have no problem asking seniors, middle class families and veterans to make sacrifices, yet refuse to do the same for big corporations and millionaires who would receive trillions in new tax breaks. We will hold House Republicans accountable for their backwards priorities."

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Blake Farenthold

GOP Frosh On Government Shutdown: Planned Parenthood Rider Makes Up For Smaller Cuts

Ryan J. Reilly | April 8, 2011, 12:12PM

Rep. Blake Farenthold (R-TX)

A Republican freshman member of the House says that riders on the continuing resolution bill -- like the one that bans funding for Planned Parenthood -- could make up for the fact that the GOP didn't cut a full $100 billion from President Barack Obama's budget proposal.

Rep. Blake Farenthold (R-TX) told TPM that the showdown is over two things: "keeping our promises to the people that elected us to cut spending and implement some policy changes."

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Republicans

Meet The Five Incoming Republicans Who Might Have GOP Leaders Sweating Bullets

Brian Beutler | November 26, 2010, 9:28AM

Austin Scott, Allen West, Renee Ellmers, David Rivera, and Blake Farenthold

A manual for incoming freshman Republicans, distributed by GOP leadership is meant to help them hit the ground running -- but also to stay out of trouble.

"It is important to keep in mind that even if you haven't violated any rules, the appearance of impropriety can be just as damaging. So always be certain that everything you do as a member is -- and appears to be -- above board," it reads.

With scores of new members, many untested in politics, coming to Washington, it's inevitable that at least a few will keep leadership awake at night, wondering if and how they might embarrass the party. Everyone's been put on notice, but here are five GOPers who, given their past scrapes, will likely be getting the gimlet eye from the top brass.

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2010 elections

Dems Maffei And Ortiz Concede House Races

Eric Kleefeld | November 23, 2010, 5:16PM

Rep. Dan Maffei (D-NY) and Rep. Solomon Ortiz (D-TX)

Two Democratic Congressman -- one old, and one new -- have conceded defeat to their challengers in this year's Republican wave.

In Texas's 27th District, Rep. Solomon Ortiz conceded last night to Republican challenger Blake Farenthold. Ortiz had previously demanded a recount, but only picked up about 150 votes -- still losing to Farenthold by about 650 votes. Ortiz was first elected all the way back in 1982. The district was carried by Barack Obama in 2008, by a margin of 53%-46%, but previously voted for George W. Bush by 55%-45% in 2004.

In New York's 25th District, Democratic freshman Rep. Dan Maffei has conceded to Republican Ann Marie Buerkle, by a margin of less than 600 votes. Maffei was first elected in 2008, picking up an open Republican-held seat after he'd narrowly lost a bid in 2006. The district voted 56%-43% for Barack Obama in 2008, and 50%-48% for John Kerry in 2004.

This brings the latest tally of Republican gains in the election to 63 seats.

2010 elections

Seven House Races Still Undecided

Marc Kilstein | November 16, 2010, 8:46AM

Reps. Melissa Bean (D-IL), Tim Bishop (D-NY), Solomon P. Ortiz (D-TX) and Dan Maffei (D-NY)

Election season isn't finished quite yet. As of today, there remain seven House races that are still in dispute, one impending gubernatorial recount, and one messy Senate write-in fight.

So far, the partisan makeup of the new House is 238 Republicans versus 190 Democrats, with seven seats still up for grabs. All seven of the House seats that remain in question are held by Democrats; five of the contests are currently led by Republican challengers. The uncalled districts are:

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2010 elections

Broad And Deep: A Quick Look The GOP's Big Victory In The House

Brian Beutler | November 3, 2010, 8:58AM

House Minority Leader John Boehner (R-OH) with members of the GOP leadership

The midwest was the key to the GOP's 60-plus seat victory in the House of Representatives. Where Democrats were able to stave off losses in the west and northeast and even parts of the south, they were creamed by upwards of two dozen seats in states like Ohio, Wisconsin, and Minnesota, where the recession has taken a brutal toll.

Dems had a significant majority going in to yesterday's election, so the greatest losses were suffered by junior members. Most of them were fully expected. But when you lose this many seats, invariably some surprises get swept along with the tide.

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Young Guns

Meet The GOP's Young Bums: TPM Rounds Up The GOP's Worst Next Big Stars

Eric Lach | October 20, 2010, 11:41AM

Clockwise from top left: Blake Farenthold, Rich Iott, David Harmer, Allen West

Republicans promote their "Young Guns" Congressional candidates as "the best opportunity to move our country in the right direction." Founded in 2007 by Reps. Eric Cantor, Kevin McCarthy and Paul Ryan, the "Young Guns" program aims to recruit and promote "a new generation of conservative leaders." But before even getting to Congress, a number of this year's "Young Guns" and "Contenders" have found themselves fending off scandals, struggling to explain past actions and in one particular case, being outed as a ducky pajama enthusiast.

Let's review some of the most embattled "Young Guns."

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Republicans

Republican 'Contender' Dons Duckie Pajamas, Parties With Scantily Clad Women

Brian Beutler | October 15, 2010, 1:35PM

Republican House candidate Blake Farenthold on the cover of We the People magazine.

Who among us hasn't donned duckie pajamas for a night out with scantily clad women, then run for Congress?

Well, in the event that you haven't, consider the case of NRCC's latest big "contender," Blake Farenthold running against Rep. Solomon Ortiz (D-TX).

The picture comes from a pajama party at a local bar in May 2009, and quickly made its way from the source -- thecrushgirls.com -- to a publication called We The People and from there to the DCCC and Ortiz himself.

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