NC Congressmen Move Up into new House Minority

WASHINGTON, D.C. -The Republican caucus in the U.S. House of Representatives may have moved into minority status, but the North Carolina caucus arguably moved up the congressional power rankings. The prominent posts attained by the likes of Reps. Patrick McHenry, Mark Walker, and Mark Meadows has long been helping the Old North State to swing above its weight class on Capitol Hill. Now, with the larger power structure receding in the chamber, our Republican delegation is increasing influence.

Only seat changed hands for North Carolina’s midterm congressional elections, with Mark Harris taking over Rep. Robert Pittenger’s seat. This maintains the 10 Republican, three Democrats makeup of the Carolina caucus, and marked our contribution to keeping the House majority.

Meadows is a leader on pushing the conservative cause as Chairman of the House Freedom Caucus, and now his fellow caucus member Rep. Jim Jordan (OH) is running for House minority leader. (Rep. Kevin McCarthy (CA) just entered the race for Speaker too). Meadows has long had the president’s ear making him a key ally of President Trump as he works to counter what is likely to be a Nancy Pelosi led chamber.

The “other Mark,” Rep. Mark Walker, has also been in a position of power since 2017 when he was elected the head of the largest Republican caucus in congress, the Republican Study Committee. Walker has used the position, for the most part, to agitate on behalf of smaller and better government, less spending, and conservative policy in general.

It seems Walker is intent on climbing further up;after the election he announced his intention to run for GOP House Conference Vice Chair.

Mark Walker says he is throwing his hat in the ring for GOP Conference Vice Chair:

“We can no longer be content simply preaching to the choir but rather we must take our message of hope and individual opportunity to new arenas and communities.”@NCCapTonight #ncpol

— Kevin Frey (@KevinFreyTV) November 7, 2018

Then there’s the more establishment track taken by Rep. Patrick McHenry, who has worked himself into the Deputy Whip position and is Vice Chairman of Finance for the National Republican Congressional Committee’s Executive Committee.  The whipping posts sit behind the majority leader, which is followed only by the Speaker, so as movement happens in that chain McHenry is probable to climb further up it.

Taken altogether, along with our other solid Republican congressional delegation, the big voice of the Old North State on the national stage may be the silver lining of an otherwise negative development for the conservative cause.

Going forward, look for North Carolina Congressmen to step up their contributions to the national conversation on the Hill in ways that will lead to more responsible government and resisting the Left’s increasing detachment from reality.