Freedom Caucus lawmakers at the state level across the country are pushing to drain the “swamp” in their states after being inspired by the 20 conservatives in the U.S. House of Representatives who insisted on concessions before allowing Kevin McCarthy to become the next House speaker.
“We have 10 Freedom Caucus state Freedom Caucuses up and running right now. And because of what the House Freedom Caucus did in January during the speaker fight, that has created such a huge inspiration among state lawmakers all over the country,” Andrew Roth, president of the State Freedom Caucus Network, told Fox News Digital.
“One thing that people may not realize is that there are 50 swamps in the 50 states,” Roth said. “Swampiness,” he said, is not exclusive to Washington, D.C.
U.S. Rep. Scott Perry, R-Pa., and House Freedom Caucus members during the battle for the House speaker gavel. (Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images)
The State Freedom Caucus Network launched at the end of 2021 with the support of the influential House Freedom Caucus and politicians like Mark Meadows. The group consists of Republicans Roth says advocate for “open, accountable and limited government, the Constitution and the rule of law and policies that promote the liberty, safety and prosperity of all Americans.”
“We do this by providing state freedom classes with the tools, tactics, resources and strategies to help them successfully advance pro growth limited government policy solutions,” Roth said.
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He said the network gives state lawmakers the “ability to meet with each other and discuss how to stop bad legislation and promote good legislation.” The network is succeeding, Roth says, “because we’re providing just a little bit of assistance for David to go up against Goliath.”
He says that battle is playing out in the states of South Carolina and South Dakota.
Former congressman and White House chief of staff Mark Meadows helped launch the State Freedom Caucus Network. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)
Last week, Fox News Digital reported that South Dakota Freedom Caucus members are challenging Gov. Kristi Noem’s office, saying it has “overstepped” its constitutional authority by sponsoring legislation in the state legislature.
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Those members say Noem’s office is exploiting a loophole in the state lawmaking process that allows agencies to introduce bills into the legislature without a legislative sponsor, an act some Republicans in the state say is crossing the line too frequently into an area that should be controlled by lawmakers.
Rep. Chip Roy, R-Texas., during the House speaker race. (Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)
“A battle has ensued in the South Dakota legislature, and tensions are escalating,” the South Dakota Freedom Caucus said in a statement last week.
In South Carolina, Freedom Caucus members are accusing Republican leaders in the statehouse of asking all Republicans to sign a “Soviet-style pledge” or face removal from the GOP ranks.
Roth says that as their numbers grow, so will their influence in national politics.
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“Where there once were 1,000 soft conservative voices, there is now a very loud, unified, conservative voice in each of the states that we have a Freedom Caucus. And when that voice gets louder and louder, and amplifies … the cause of freedom, it’s gonna put people in a tough spot,” he said.
