Conservative Representative Warren Davidson of Ohio was ousted from the House Freedom Caucus on Monday, following a closed-door meeting in which group members voted to remove him. This comes just weeks after Davidson endorsed a primary challenger to the caucus chairman, Rep. Bob Good of Virginia, whom he defeated in a close primary election last month.
Davidson had argued that his endorsement was not motivated by any personal grievance or factional conflict, but simply supported the candidate who would be better representing the constituents of the district. “My endorsement of John McGuire should convey the opposite message. This congressional race was never about the Freedom Caucus. As a longstanding member and former board member of the House Freedom Caucus, my action was solely about the ‘men on the ballot’ and I stand by that,” Davidson stated.
In a surprising response, another Freedom Caucus member, Rep. Troy Nehls of Texas, announced his intention to resign from the group, citing the treatment of Davidson. “I respect the HFC and have been aligned with their conservative positions. However, tonight’s vote makes it clear that our objectives are not aligned, so I will no longer be a member. Despite this, I will continue to support their conservative agenda,” Nehls declared.
The Freedom Caucus was established in 2015 by a group of conservative lawmakers with the goal of creating a smaller, more agile, and more active organization that aligned with former President Donald Trump’s priorities. However, the election of Chairman Bob Good in January may have already marked a shift in the group’s dynamic, as Good had previously endorsed Gov. Ron DeSantis (R-FL) for the 2024 presidential nomination. Good later switched his endorsement to Trump after DeSantis suspended his campaign, but that wasn’t enough to appease the former president, who endorsed McGuire.
