Rep. Warren Davidson (R-OH) was removed from the conservative House Freedom Caucus on Monday night just weeks after the Ohio Republican endorsed the primary challenger to caucus Chairman Bob Good (R-VA).
The group voted to oust Davidson from its ranks during a closed-door meeting on Monday, two sources familiar with the decision confirmed to the Washington Examiner. The vote comes just weeks after Davidson publicly endorsed Virginia state Sen. John McGuire, who narrowly defeated Good in the state's primary last month.
Davidson was the only member of the Freedom Caucus to endorse against the chairman, although he had argued his backing was solely about the “men on the ballot” rather than any proxy war of factions in the Republican Party.
“As a longstanding member and former board member of the House Freedom Caucus, my endorsement of John McGuire should convey the opposite message. This Congressional race was never about the Freedom Caucus,” Davidson said in a statement at the time. “I hope my endorsement for John McGuire made a difference and I look forward to serving alongside him in the 119th Congress to support President Trump’s efforts to Drain the Swamp.”
However, Davidson's removal is likely to cause a ripple effect in the conservative corners of the House GOP. One Freedom Caucus member, Rep. Troy Nehls (R-TX), has said he now plans to resign from the group over Davidson's removal.
"I respect the HFC and have been aligned with their conservative positions. I want to grow the organization and encourage more members to join," Nehls said in a statement. "With tonight’s vote, it was clear that is not their objective. I value what the HFC brings to the table and I can assure them I will continue to support their conservative agenda I just won’t be a member."
A spokesperson for the Freedom Caucus declined to offer a statement on the matter, noting it does not comment on internal decisions.
The Freedom Caucus was first formed in 2015 by a group of conservative lawmakers looking to establish themselves as “smaller, more cohesive, more agile, and more active,” according to Rep. Jim Jordan (R-OH), who was the chairman at the time of its founding. Caucus members have closely aligned with former President Donald Trump, and the group consists of many of his staunch allies on Capitol Hill.
But that dynamic experienced a slight shift when the caucus elected Good as its newest chairman in January.
Good had also angered Trump when he endorsed Gov. Ron DeSantis (R-FL) for the GOP presidential nomination last year. Good later switched his endorsement to Trump after DeSantis suspended his campaign, but that wasn’t enough to appease the former president, who endorsed McGuire.
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Trump's endorsement helped boost McGuire to a narrow victory over Good, defeating the incumbent by just 374 votes. The Virginia Republican Party certified those results last week to resolve a monthslong saga that split House conservatives, resulting in a feud between Good and several of his Republican colleagues.
Good has vowed to request a recount. If the results are confirmed, Good will become only the second House incumbent to lose his primary election after Rep. Jamaal Bowman (D-NY) lost his primary challenge last week. It would also make Good the first Freedom Caucus chairman to be defeated in a primary or general election race.
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