The group behind the Conservative Political Action Committee released its annual analysis of Congress’ voting records and slammed Senate Republicans, giving Minority Leader Mitch McConnell the lowest conservative rating of his 38-year career.
Through the coronavirus-fueled spending spree, Democrats were often “aided by RINO/establishment Republicans, many of them Old Bulls who announced their retirement,” chairman Matt Schlapp wrote, calling it “shameful” that a “$1.7 trillion Omnibus spending bill passed two days before Christmas with Republican leadership’s acquiescence.”
The American Conservative Union&#8217;s <a href="http://ratings.conservative.org/people?state=US&amp;year=2022&amp;level=state&amp;orderBy=rating" target="_blank" rel="noopener">ratings</a> for 2022 reveal a sharp contrast between the leadership of McConnell, who received a 56%, and Sen. Rick Scott of Florida, who received a 91%. Scott led the National Republican Senatorial Committee and repeatedly sparred with McConnell, while cultivating his own group of emerging leaders that called themselves the “breakfast club.”
Breakfast Club members included Sen. Mike Lee of Utah and Sen. Mike Braun of Indiana, who both received a perfect 100% rating from CPAC. (<a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/meet-the-press/meetthepressblog/breakfast-club-gop-senators-calling-official-conference-meeting-wednes-rcna61597" target="_blank" rel="noopener">NBC</a> reported that Braun is an “unofficial” member of the club.) Sen. Rand Paul of Kentucky also received a perfect score. Sen. Ron Johnson of Wisconsin, another member of the Breakfast Club, received an honorable mention at 97%.
McConnell’s lieutenants in the current Republican leadership included Senate Minority Whip John Thune of South Dakota, who received an 81%, Conference Chairman Sen. John Barrasso of Wyoming, at 89%, Policy Committee Chair Sen. Joni Ernst of Iowa, at 74%, and Sen. Shelley Moore Capito of West Virginia, who was vice chair of the Republican Conference despite having a conservative score of only 53%.
McConnell is 81 years old and joined the Senate in 1985. Scott is 70 and joined the Senate in 2019 after serving as governor of Florida. McConnell&#8217;s ACU score was down eight points from 2021.
Thomas Bradbury, who helped craft the ratings for the American Conservative Union, said who is in leadership is “really important” in part because the tone for what it means to be conservative is set “from the top down.”
In the House, the members who received a perfect score were Reps. Michael Cloud and Chip Roy from Texas, Bob Good of Virginia, Jody Hice and Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia, Kevin Hern of Oklahoma, Jim Jordan of Ohio, Debbie Lesko of Arizona, Thomas Massie of Kentucky, Mary Miller of Illionis, Ralph Norman of South Carolina, Scott Perry of Pennsylvania, Matt Rosendale of Montana, and Greg Steube of Florida.
The average Senate Republican got a 78%, while the average House Republican got an 80%.
Moderate Republican senators Lisa Murkowski of Alaska and Susan Collins of Maine received 43% and 38%, respectively.
The lowest-scoring House Republican was Brian Fitzpatrick, a former FBI agent from Pennslyvania, at 24%. Second-worst was John Katko of New York, at 26%. Third-worst was former Rep. Adam Kinzinger of Illinois, who Speaker Nancy Pelosi appointed to the anti-Trump January 6 committee and who is now a CNN contributor.
The scores were based on congressmen’s votes on key bills, including ones that CPAC opposed and described as federalizing elections, bailing out the postal service, and nominating Ketanji Brown Jackson to the Supreme Court.
The list also included votes on bills that CPAC supported, including ones they described as blocking vaccine mandates, killing earmarks, and sending billions to Ukraine without oversight.
The Senate was split 50-50 among the parties in 2022, meaning that Republicans had little chance of passing a bill unless all of them were united.
Dozens of Senate Republicans voted for a “continuing resolution” that CPAC said gave Democrats leverage by giving them another week to negotiate a spending deal before a government shutdown kicked in.
CPAC’s ratings have proven crucial to determining whether Republicans voted the way they campaigned. The group also rates state lawmakers, and The Daily Wire used those voting scores for a multi-part analysis of state legislatures that found that, shockingly, the more of a majority that Republicans had in a state, the more moderate its Republican lawmakers behaved once in office.
Montana Republican lawmakers, for example, behaved more moderately than California Republicans, essentially just putting an R behind their name so they could win the election.
In some states, an establishment of moderate Republicans allegedly retaliated against conservative members, with the South Carolina legislature booting “Freedom Caucus” members from the Republican caucus.
Related: <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/19-statehouses-have-bigger-republican-majorities-than-florida-this-group-is-making-sure-they-act-like-it" target="_blank" rel="noopener">19 Statehouses Have Bigger Republican Majorities Than Florida. This Group Is Making Sure They Act Like It.</a>
&nbsp;
Related: <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/why-did-wyoming-kill-school-choice-deep-red-states-often-dont-act-like-it-data-shows" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Why Did Wyoming Kill School Choice? Deep-Red States Often Don’t Act Like It, Data Shows</a>
Related: <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/why-legislatures-in-the-deep-red-states-that-sent-romney-and-cheney-to-washington-vote-like-liberals" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Why Legislatures In The Deep-Red States That Sent Romney And Cheney To Washington ‘Vote Like Liberals’</a>

<script async src="https://www.tiktok.com/embed.js"></script>
<script async src="https://www.instagram.com/embed.js"></script>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script><div data-widget-host="revcontent" data-pub-id="165152" data-widget-id="290588"></div><script src="https://delivery.revcontent.com/165152/290588/widget.js"></script>

CPAC Releases Conservative Rankings–Mitch McConnell’s Lowest In 38 Years

Refugees From Bhutan Billed Medicaid Millions. Now They Drink Champagne In Private Jets.

Dr. Oz Drops Into Ohio To Crack Down On Medicaid Fraud Identified By Daily Wire

Ex-Top Foreign Aid Official Cries As He Is Sentenced To Prison For Bribes

Ohio Restores Medicaid Anti-Fraud Measures After Daily Wire Investigation

He Was Convicted For Defrauding The Government. Now Medicaid Pays His Wife Millions.

Ohio Says Safeguards Exist To Stop Medicaid Fraud, But Admits Massive Loophole

News

CPAC

Mike Lee

Mitch McConnell

Senate

Thomas Massie

A video goes viral showing a baby being refused his mother by two gay "dads". This is just the tip of the iceberg, which is why we will have an important discussion today about surrogacy. 

Hour 1

The Matt Walsh Show

Ep. 1765 - This Video Is One Of The Worst Things I've Seen In A Long Time 

The Strait of Hormuz officially opens for business (kind of), the Pope makes “shocking” comments on immigration, and President Trump promises UFO disclosure at TPUSA. 


The Michael Knowles Show

Ep. 1956 -  Pope Leo's "SHOCKING" Immigration Comments EXPLAINED

A false miscreed has corrupted our leadership class.


The Andrew Klavan Show

Ep. 1275 - Dumb, Dumber and Progressive

President Trump announces a 10-day ceasefire between Lebanon and Israel, a murder-suicide involving former Democratic Lieutenant Governor Justin Fairfax shakes Virginia, and France and Britain hold a conference to secure the Strait of Hormuz – after the Iranian conflict ends. Get the facts first with Morning Wire.

- - -

Ep. 2738

- - -

Wake up with new Morning Wire merch: https://bit.ly/4lIubt3

- - -

Today's Sponsors:

Alliance Defending Freedom - Visit https://JoinADF.com/WIRE or text 'WIRE' to 83848 to learn more.

Pocket Hose - Text MORNING to 64000 to get a FREE pocket pivot and their 10-pattern sprayer with the purchase of ANY size Copper Head hose. Message and data rates may apply.

Morning Wire

U.S. Expands Hormuz Blockade & VA Fairfax Deaths Investigated | 4.17.26

U.S. Expands Hormuz Blockade & VA Fairfax Deaths Investigated | 4.17.26 [Member Exclusive]

A ceasefire goes into effect between Israel and Lebanon, a tragic murder-suicide rocks Virginia, and Dairy Queen deploys AI in the drive-thru. Get the facts first with Evening Wire.
- - -
Ep. 2737
- - -
Wake up with new Morning Wire merch: https://bit.ly/4lIubt3 
- - -
Today’s Sponsor:

Alliance Defending Freedom - Visit https://JoinADF.com/WIRE or text “WIRE” to 83848 to learn more.


Evening Wire: Lebanon Ceasefire Begins & Murder-Suicide Rocks VA | 4.16.26

The Pendragon Cycle

Menu

— News —

CPAC Releases Conservative Rankings–Mitch McConnell’s Lowest In 38 Years