Well, that was interesting. Earlier this week we learned that Rep. Mark Meadows was going to be removed from his position as chair of the Government Operations subcommittee. Meadows, a conservative Republican, represents the 11th District in Western North Carolina and has been a thorn in the side of John Boehner and the Republican leadership for some time now. He doesn’t vote like they want him to and he’s not a “team player.” The final straw came with a procedural vote on Obama’s trade legislation, which has enjoyed broad support from the Republican caucus. Meadows got the boot, joining fellow maverick NC congressman Walter Jones in the doghouse.
The subsequent outcry from the grassroots was deafening. Conservatives, more suspicious than ever about Boehner and co., were incensed and rallied around the congressman. The pressure was eventually too much for the leadership and they backed down. Meadows was reinstated. It’s a black eye for John Boehner, who looks weaker because of his inability to enforce his decision.
In the process, Meadows has become something of a hero to grassroots conservatives. Someone who defied the leadership, got knocked down, got back up – and won. NC conservatives, and conservatives across the nation, appreciate Meadows because they see him as someone willing to stand on principle, even if it makes the establishment unhappy. They appreciate him all the more because he won.
Some conservatives are so enthusiastic about Meadows that a movement has formed to draft the two-term congressman for United States Senate against Richard Burr. That’s not likely to happen. Meadows is a savvy politician and it wouldn’t be like him to embark on such a hopeless crusade. Instead, he’ll continue to serve as representative for the most Republican district in the state of North Carolina. And he’ll continue to anger the establishment up in DC, his identity as “Tar Heel Ted Cruz” secured.
Mark Meadows, for scoring a big win against John Boehner and the Republican establishment up in Washington and winning the admiration of grassroots conservatives across the nation, you’ve earned this week’s “Best Week in NC Politics” award. Congrats – really.
John Wynne is the “conservative voice” at PoliticsNC, where he also provides polling analysis and commentary on legislative campaigns. When not writing about politics, he enjoys gardening and listening to opera. Contact: johncwynne@gmail.com.
John, You are really naive. Meadows was removed from the committee as a high-profile example to the rest of the mavericks that they must toe the line or lose their positions, It worked very well, and after the victory on the second vote was secured, he was of course reinstated. It’s a pity that Obama did not have the courage to demand that Joe Lieberman, Mary Landrieu, and Ben Nelson be stripped of their assignments in 2009 when they proved to be the only Democratic obstacles to the public option. Harry Reid proposed the public option and would have kicked butt to get it through, but Obama chickened out. Obama’s lack of backbone is the reason we Democrats lost so badly in 2010 and afterwards. Bernie Sanders is now saying as much. .
“That’s not likely to happen. Meadows is a savvy politician and it wouldn’t be like him to embark on such a hopeless crusade.”
Have to disagree here, perhaps you really don’t see it the way I do, how badly Republican primary voters detest Burr and would like to replace him.
I’m good with anything that continues the process of fracturing the GOP into the normal ones and the insane ones.
One comment…You really must not like this clown if you compare him to Ted Cruz.
One request…Please, please do not put Ted Cruz and Tar Heel in the same paragraph or sentence, and certainly not in side one quote stream. Despite being a Wolfpack lifer, it is just too painful to see the proud term Tar Heel denigrated by proximity to the head national wing nut!