Republican Main Street Partnership
The Republican Main Street Partnership is a group of moderately conservative members of the Republican Party in the United States Congress.[1] According to the group, its members advocate for "conservative, pragmatic government."[3]
Republican Main Street Partnership | |
---|---|
President/CEO | Sarah Chamberlain |
Founded | 1994 |
Ideology | Moderate conservatism[1] |
Political position | Center-right[2] |
National affiliation | Republican Party |
Colors | Red |
Seats in the House | 44 / 435 |
Seats in the Senate | 4 / 100 |
Website | |
republicanmainstreet.org | |
|
History
The Main Street Partnership was formed following the 1994 House elections in which conservative Republicans were swept into power. An informal discussion group formed by representatives Nancy Johnson, Steve Gunderson and Fred Upton later became somewhat of an organized bloc intent on representing the moderate wing of the Republican Party.
The Main Street Partnership has allied with other moderate Republican groups, including Christine Todd Whitman's It's My Party Too, Ann Stone's Republicans for Choice, the Log Cabin Republicans, the Republican Majority for Choice, The Wish List, Republicans for Environmental Protection, the Mainstream Republicans of Washington and the Kansas Traditional Republican Majority.
They are sometimes swing votes on spending bills and as a result have gained influence in Congress out of proportion to their numbers. They are frequently sought after to broker compromises between the Democratic and Republican leadership, generally lending a more center-right character to US politics.[4]
Members of the Main Street Partnership are often challenged in Republican primaries by members from the Club for Growth (CFG), FreedomWorks and the Tea Party movement, among others.[5] The CFG has used the pejorative term RINO (Republicans In Name Only) to describe opponents such as the Main Street Partnership that it feels are not conservative enough. According to the director of the Republican Main Street Partnership, the CFG and its agenda are "not representative of the Republican Party" and "we raise money on a daily basis to defeat them."[6]
In 2004, the group attempted to propose changes to moderate the GOP platform regarding abortion and stem-cell research.[7]
On September 7, 2017, members formed the Republican Main Street Congressional Caucus with Pat Tiberi (OH-12) as Chair.[8][9] After Tiberi's resignation from the House, Rodney Davis (IL-13) took over duties as Chair.[10] The caucus had dissolved by the spring of 2019.[11]
Current members
Board of directors
- Sarah Chamberlain – President and CEO
- Amo Houghton – Chairman Emeritus and founder, former Representative from New York[12]
- * Doug Ose – Board Member, former Representative from California
- Robert Ziff – Board Member
Tim Regan - Board Member Source:[13]
Senators
- Shelley Moore Capito, West Virginia[14]
- Susan Collins, Maine[15]
- Martha McSally, Arizona
- Todd Young, Indiana
Representatives
- Don Bacon (NE-2)[16]
- Troy Balderson (OH-12)
- Mike Bost (IL-12)
- Susan Brooks (IN-5)
- Larry Bucshon (IN-8)
- Ken Calvert (CA-42)
- Paul Cook (CA-8)
- John Curtis (UT-03)
- Mario Díaz-Balart (FL-25)
- Tom Emmer (MN-6)
- Brian Fitzpatrick (PA-1)
- Jeff Fortenberry (NE-1)
- Mike Gallagher (WI-8)
- Bob Gibbs (OH-07)
- Jenniffer González Colón (PR-AL)
- Jaime Herrera Beutler (WA-3)
- Bill Huizenga (MI-02)
- Will Hurd (TX-23)
- Bill Johnson (OH-6)
- David Joyce (OH-14)
- John Joyce (PA-13)
- John Katko (NY-24)
- Mike Kelly (PA-16)
- Peter King (NY-2)
- Adam Kinzinger (IL-16)
- Roger Marshall (KS-1)
- Brian Mast (FL-18)
- Carol Miller (WV-3)
- David McKinley (WV-1)
- Cathy McMorris Rodgers (WA-5)
- John Moolenaar (MI-04)
- Dan Newhouse (WA-4)
- Tom Reed (NY-23)
- John Rutherford (FL-04)
- Mike Simpson (ID-2)
- Chris Smith (NJ-4)
- Lloyd Smucker (PA-11)
- Elise Stefanik (NY-21)
- Steve Stivers (OH-15)
- Mike Turner (OH-10)
- Fred Upton (MI-6)
- Greg Walden (OR-2)
- Michael Waltz (FL-6)
- Lee Zeldin (NY-1)
Former members
Representatives
- Steve Austria, Ohio (retired in 2012)
- Roscoe Bartlett, Maryland (lost reelection in 2012 following redistricting)
- Charles Bass, New Hampshire (lost reelection in 2012)
- Dan Benishek, Michigan (retired in 2016)
- Doug Bereuter, Nebraska (resigned in 2004)
- Judy Biggert, Illinois (lost reelection in 2012 following redistricting)
- Brian Bilbray, California (lost reelection in 2012)
- Sherwood Boehlert, New York (retired in 2006)
- Mary Bono Mack, California (lost reelection in 2012)
- Jeb Bradley, New Hampshire (lost reelection in 2006)
- Dave Camp, Michigan (retired in 2014)
- Joseph Cao, Louisiana (lost reelection in 2010)
- Mike Castle, Delaware (retired to unsuccessfully run for United States Senate in 2010)
- Mike Coffman, Colorado (lost reelection in 2018)
- Barbara Comstock, Virginia (lost reelection in 2018)
- Ryan Costello, Pennsylvania (retired in 2018)
- Carlos Curbelo, Florida (lost reelection in 2018)
- Tom Davis, Virginia (retired in 2008)
- Jeff Denham, California (lost reelection in 2018)
- Charlie Dent, Pennsylvania (resigned in 2018)
- Lincoln Díaz-Balart, Florida (retired in 2010)
- Charles Djou, Hawaii (lost reelection in 2010)
- Bob Dold, Illinois (lost reelection in 2016)
- Dan Donovan, New York (lost reelection in 2018)
- David Dreier, California (retired in 2012)
- Vern Ehlers, Michigan (retired in 2010)
- Renee Ellmers, North Carolina (lost renomination in 2016)
- Jo Ann Emerson, Missouri (resigned in 2013)
- Phil English, Pennsylvania (lost reelection in 2008)
- John Faso, New York (lost reelection in 2018)
- Mike Fitzpatrick, Pennsylvania (retired in 2016)
- Mark Foley, Florida (resigned in 2006)
- Bob Franks, New Jersey (retired to unsuccessfully run for United States Senate in 2000)
- Rodney Frelinghuysen, New Jersey (retired in 2018)
- Greg Ganske, Iowa (retired to unsuccessfully run for United States Senate in 2002)
- Jim Gerlach, Pennsylvania (retired in 2008)
- Chris Gibson, New York (retired in 2016)
- Wayne Gilchrest, Maryland (lost renomination in 2008)
- Paul Gillmor, Ohio (died in 2007)
- Benjamin Gilman, New York (retired in 2002 due to redistricting)
- Porter Goss, Florida (resigned to become Director of the CIA in 2004)
- Jim Greenwood, Pennsylvania (retired in 2004)
- Frank Guinta, New Hampshire (lost reelection in 2016)
- Karen Handel, Georgia (lost reelection in 2018)
- Richard Hanna, New York (retired in 2016)
- Melissa Hart, Pennsylvania (lost reelection in 2006)
- Nan Hayworth, New York (lost reelection in 2012)
- Joe Heck, Nevada (retired to unsuccessfully run for United States Senate in 2016)
- Dave Hobson, Ohio (retired in 2008)
- Steve Horn, California (retired in 2002)
- Amo Houghton, New York (retired in 2004)
- Evan Jenkins, West Virginia (retired to unsuccessfully run for United States Senate in 2018, subsequently resigned)
- Lynn Jenkins, Kansas (retired in 2018)
- Nancy Johnson, Connecticut (lost reelection in 2006)
- David Jolly, Florida (lost reelection in 2016)
- Sue Kelly, New York (lost reelection in 2006)
- Steve Knight, California (lost reelection in 2018)
- Jim Kolbe, Arizona (retired in 2006)
- Randy Kuhl, New York (lost reelection in 2008)
- Ray LaHood, Illinois (retired in 2008)
- Leonard Lance, New Jersey (lost reelection in 2018)
- Steve LaTourette, Ohio (retired in 2012)
- Jim Leach, Iowa (lost reelection in 2006)
- Jerry Lewis, California (retired in 2012)
- Frank LoBiondo, New Jersey (retired in 2018)
- Mia Love, Utah (lost reelection in 2018)
- Tom MacArthur, New Jersey (lost reelection in 2018)
- Jim McCrery, Louisiana (retired in 2008)
- Jan Meyers, Kansas (retired in 1996)
- Connie Morella, Maryland (lost reelection in 2002 following redistricting)
- George Nethercutt, Washington (retired to unsuccessfully run for United States Senate in 2004)
- Doug Ose, California (retired in 2002)
- Erik Paulsen, Minnesota (lost reelection in 2018)
- Tom Petri, Wisconsin (retired in 2014)
- Todd Platts, Pennsylvania (retired in 2012)
- Bruce Poliquin, Maine (lost reelection in 2018)
- Jon Porter, Nevada (lost reelection in 2008)
- Deborah Pryce, Ohio (retired in 2008)
- Jack Quinn, New York (retired in 2004)
- Jim Ramstad, Minnesota (retired in 2008)
- Ralph Regula, Ohio (retired in 2008)
- Dave Reichert, Washington (retired in 2018)
- Jim Renacci, Ohio (retired to unsuccessfully run for United States Senate in 2018)
- Scott Rigell, Virginia (retired in 2016)
- Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, Florida (retired in 2018)
- Marge Roukema, New Jersey (retired in 2002)
- Jon Runyan, New Jersey (retired in 2014)
- Jim Saxton, New Jersey (retired in 2008)
- Bobby Schilling, Illinois (lost reelection in 2012)
- Joe Schwarz, Michigan (lost renomination in 2006)
- E. Clay Shaw, Jr., Florida (lost reelection in 2006)
- Chris Shays, Connecticut (lost reelection in 2008)
- Bill Shuster, Pennsylvania (retired in 2018)
- Rob Simmons, Connecticut (lost reelection in 2006)
- Scott Taylor, Virginia (lost reelection in 2018)
- Pat Tiberi, Ohio (resigned in 2017)
- Dave Trott, Michigan (retired in 2018)
- Bob Turner, New York (retired to unsuccessfully run for United States Senate in 2012)
- David Valadao, California (lost reelection in 2018)
- Jim Walsh, New York (retired in 2008)
- Mimi Walters, California (lost reelection in 2018)
- Jerry Weller, Illinois (retired in 2008)
- Ed Whitfield, Kentucky (resigned in 2016)
- Heather Wilson, New Mexico (retired to unsuccessfully run for United States Senate in 2008)
- Frank Wolf, Virginia (retired in 2014)
- Kevin Yoder, Kansas (lost reelection in 2018)
- David Young, Iowa (lost reelection in 2018)
- Ryan Zinke, Montana (resigned to become United States Secretary of the Interior in 2017)
Senators
- Lincoln Chafee, Rhode Island (lost reelection in 2006, later became an Independent and then a Democrat. In 2019, he switched his party affiliation to Libertarian.)
- Saxby Chambliss, Georgia (retired in 2014)
- Norm Coleman, Minnesota (lost reelection in 2008)
- John Danforth, Missouri (retired in 1994)
- Jim Jeffords, Vermont (became an Independent and caucused with Democrats in 2001, retired in 2006)
- Mark Kirk, Illinois (lost reelection in 2016)
- John McCain, Arizona (died in 2018)
- Warren Rudman, New Hampshire (retired in 1992)
- Gordon Smith, Oregon (lost reelection in 2008)
- Olympia Snowe, Maine (retired in 2012)
- Arlen Specter, Pennsylvania (switched to the Democratic Party, and then lost renomination in 2010)
- Ted Stevens, Alaska (lost reelection in 2008)
- George Voinovich, Ohio (retired in 2010)
See also
References
- O'Connor, Patrick (April 16, 2014). "GOP Feud on Full Display in New Idaho Ad". The Wall Street Journal. Retrieved July 23, 2014.
- James, Frank (February 13, 2014). "Debt Ceiling Vote Relied On GOP's 'Tough Vote' Caucus". Npr.org. Retrieved August 11, 2014.
- "The Governing Wing of the Republican Party". Republican Main Street Partnership. Retrieved 12 July 2020.
- "Republican Main Street Partnership Delivers Passage of the First Major Mental Health Legislation in 50 Years - Republican Main Street Partnership". Republican Main Street Partnership. July 7, 2016. Retrieved February 20, 2018.
- "Club for Growth". Club for Growth. Retrieved February 23, 2016.
- "Republican Group Targets Its Own Party". NPR.org. Retrieved February 23, 2016.
- Kirkpatrick, David D. (2004-08-25). "THE 2004 CAMPAIGN: THE REPUBLICAN AGENDA; Draft G.O.P. Platform Backs Bush on Security, Gay Marriage and Immigration". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2020-01-09.
- "Statement on Formation of Republican Main Street Congressional Caucus".
- "Republican Main Street Partnership forms new Capitol Hill caucus with Ohio ties".
- "Is there room for another GOP caucus? Main Street chairman says yes".
- Davis, Susan. "Meltdown On Main Street: Inside The Breakdown Of The GOP's Moderate Wing". NPR. Retrieved 10 July 2020.
- Fried, Joseph. "Amory Houghton Jr., Who Went From Corning to Congress, Dies at 93". The New York Times. Retrieved 10 March 2020.
- "Board of Directors - Republican Main Street Partnership". Republican Main Street Partnership. Retrieved February 27, 2017.
- "RMSP Members | The Governing Wing". republicanmainstreet.org. Retrieved 2020-07-12.
- "Members". Republican Mainstreet Partnership PAC. Retrieved 2019-02-16.
- "Members". Republican Mains Street Partnership. Retrieved September 19, 2017.