From the LMT:
Reps. Mike Kingsley and Bryan Zollinger say they feel conservative message is going unheard
Two freshmen representatives looking for a productive way to advance conservative ideals announced the formation of an Idaho House Freedom Caucus on Monday.
Reps. Mike Kingsley, R-Lewiston, and Bryan Zollinger, R-Idaho Falls, will be co-chairmen of the group. They expect to have at least 10 members initially, but 24 showed up to a late-afternoon informational meeting.
The proposal to create a conservative caucus comes at the tail end of a session that’s been marked by frequent conflicts and procedural disputes between House Republican leaders and a group of far-right lawmakers that includes Reps. Heather Scott, R-Blanchard, Ron Nate, R-Rexburg, and Priscilla Giddings, R-White Bird.
Kingsley said the Scott-Nate group has some good ideas, but they’ve undermined their own efforts by directly challenging the established leadership hierarchy.
“We feel like the conservative message isn’t getting out,” he said. “Some walls have been built, some barriers. We need to come together as a group to get our message into meaningful bills.”
The caucus is modeled in part on the congressional House Freedom Caucus, which made a name for itself by ousting House Speaker John Boehner, R-Ohio, in 2015. The group also played a role in blocking the Obamacare repeal-and-replace bill last week.
“We love what they’re doing in D.C. with their Freedom Caucus,” Kingsley said. “They’re having an impact.”
Zollinger, however, suggested the Idaho House Freedom Caucus will be a kinder, gentler version of its congressional counterpart.