From Donald Trump to Mike Johnson, Chip Roy is a thorn in the Republican Party

Texas Tribune ^ | 01/12/2024 | Matthew Choi

[thegagline]

For many of his fellow House Republicans, Chip Roy is so conservative that he demands a level of ideological purity from his colleagues that routinely threatens to stall his party’s agenda — like this week when he toyed with ousting House Speaker Mike Johnson over a government funding deal.

At the same time, the Austin congressman is being attacked by the MAGA world, cast as a RINO, or Republican in Name Only, for his outspoken criticism of former President Donald Trump and refusal to accept his false claims of a stolen election. *** Roy once again found himself at the center of a right-wing rebellion against House Republican leadership this week. A small coterie of hardliners tanked a procedural vote Wednesday, halting the floor for the day. The vote came shortly after Johnson tried selling the rest of his party on a deal to keep the government funded through the rest of the year — a deal the far right said was caving to Democrats.

Roy said on the Steve Deace Show that filling a motion to vacate was not off the table for him — an exhausting and painful proposition for many House members given the marathon of historic votes in January to elect former Speaker Kevin McCarthy, and again in October to replace him.

***

It was hardly the first time Roy found himself in that position. He and his fellow hardliners similarly held up the House in May to protest a deal to raise the debt ceiling. He was also a lead negotiator during last January’s speaker election, shuttling between meetings with McCarthy’s deputies. He often writes to his fellow Republicans or takes the House floor to protest the party line as not taking a hard enough stance.

It’s a stubbornness that has irked some of his peers.

“I want to be a tough negotiator as well. I'd like to see tough negotiation and get some wins,” U.S. Rep. Pat Fallon, a close Johnson ally, said. “But at the same time, my goodness, just saying no all the time and just tooting your own horn, it just doesn't get us anywhere.”

Roy is not alone in his drive for disruption or his dissatisfaction with House leadership. But his devotion to his principles has led him to politically poisonous positions that most in his party would never dream of touching. *** Nevertheless, Roy appears immune to the political poison pills he’s swallowed. Despite his vote to certify the 2020 election, Republican voters stood by him, giving him 83% of the vote in the 2022 Republican primary.

Trump sought to find primary challengers against Roy, posting on his social media: “Has any smart and energetic Republican in the Great State of Texas decided to run in the Primary against RINO Congressman Chip Roy. For the right person, he is very beatable. If interested, let me know!!!”

Trump wrote the post after the filing deadline. No one had stepped up to challenge Roy.***

[Texan5]

Chip Roy’s district does not cover much of Austin-he got elected because it does include mostly rural areas and small towns-conservative strongholds-I live in one of those rural areas, at the NW edge-he is my congressman. He has always presented himself as a conservative/MAGA guy, but he is not acting like one now that he is assured of 2 more years in office. By next time, I hope he will be primaried-I’ll do my part...

[Texan5]

I am-I live here-in the rural, conservative NW part of his district-MAGA country. Roy is a RINO in disguise who lied about his MAGA creds-just another lawyer who became a politician and lied again to get 2 more years-I’ll work overtime to see him primaried in 2 years-no one out here is pleased with that jerk...

[qaz123]

They all seem to be nothing but corrupt clowns

[Vaduz]

Chip Roy is a chump or on the take he take saying the 81.000.000 votes as a real deal and vote ballots dumpster fires where just hobos keeping warm.

[Drew68]

Chip Roy supports DeSantis, who has been bankrolled by Republican establishment donors. Thus, we can conclude Chip is a fraud and useless.

Maybe he supports DeSantis because DeSantis, like Chip Roy, is an actual conservative?

[thegagline]

Maybe he supports DeSantis because DeSantis, like Chip Roy, is an actual conservative?

Exactly. To the True Believers, anyone who doesn’t show 100% fielty to their deity is a RINO. Then again, they think that name calling is grand rhetoric.

Chip Roy has a 100% rating from
National Right to Life Committee
Republican Liberty Caucus
American Conservative Union
Eagle Forum
Freedom First Society
Gun Owners of America
Federation for American Immigration Reform
Family Research Council
Freedomworks
Campaign for Working Families