Texas Republican to resign from House Freedom Caucus amid feud over Trump support

WASHINGTON – Rep. Troy Nehls, R-Texas, said on Monday that he plans to resign from the House Freedom Caucus as the ultraconservative group wrestles with its identity over fealty to Donald Trump.

The second-term lawmaker told USA TODAY he's making the move, effective Tuesday, as the GOP group debates how to grow its influence in the House Republican conference and fight for a hard-right agenda.

Nehls' comments came after the Freedom Caucus voted on Monday evening to remove Rep. Warren Davidson, R-Ohio, from its ranks after he endorsed John McGuire over the caucus’ chairman, Rep. Bob Good, R-Va., in a June primary.

Trump had backed McGuire, who beat Good in the primary by roughly 375 votes in a nail-biter election that took weeks to certify. Good has vowed to pay for a recount.

“I don’t think this is the direction our organization should take,” Nehls, one of Trump’s most vocal supporters in the House, told USA TODAY. “I want to grow our numbers. I don’t want to shrink our numbers.” Nehls told his colleagues in the Freedom Caucus that he would leave the group if they voted to remove Davidson.

Good drew the ire of several moderate GOP lawmakers for leading the raucous caucus, which has often impeded the House Republicans’ legislative agenda. Trump campaigned for McGuire over Good after the Virginia Republican endorsed Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis in the Republican 2024 presidential primary.

"HFC does not comment on membership or internal processes," a House Freedom Caucus spokesperson said in a statement.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Texas Republican to resign from House Freedom Caucus amid feud over Trump support