Shawn Fleetwood writes for the Federalist about a recent gathering of conservative state legislators.
A common misconception throughout modern American politics is that, because a state is run by Republicans, it’s automatically conservative. But as has been shown time and time again, that could not be further from the truth.
From the high peaks of Wyoming to the sandy shores of South Carolina, elected Republicans in many of the country’s supposedly “reddest” states routinely work against the interests of their own voters. Whether it be on redistricting or immigration, the establishment’s preference for the status quo is almost universally the same.
But rather than simply complain about the problem, the State Freedom Caucus Network (SFCN) is seeking to do something about it. Spanning 15 states and a growing number of state lawmakers, the organization and its members gathered in Dallas over the weekend for its third annual summit to strategize on how best to advance a true “America First” agenda for conservatives.
Several of the network’s members who spoke with The Federalist discussed the necessity of these freedom caucuses in spotlighting and combatting the “swamps” in America’s state capitals. While detailing the highs and lows of the past year, they also signaled what the future may hold for the network’s expansion in other states throughout the country.
“The biggest deceit in state politics is these red states where the voters are conservative, but the members of the legislature are not, and it’s for the very simple fact that I say over and over again, which is a Democrat knows he can’t get elected in a red state, so he puts an R after his name, gets elected, and then he governs like a Democrat,” SFCN President Andy Roth told The Federalist. …
… Looking ahead, Roth acknowledged the uphill battle state freedom caucuses face in combatting the influx of outside money and unfavorable media that attempt to “control the narrative” in primaries. Given these headwinds, he said, it will be imperative for the SFCN’s members to “talk directly to the voters” and “build an army of grassroots supporters” necessary to overcome those hurdles.
