CLEVELAND—Since taking control of Congress in January, the Republican Party has watched its favorability rating precipitously decline, mostly because of views held by fellow Republicans.
So why are the Republican faithful viewing the GOP in a less favorable light?
Rep. Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, says this frustration among voters comes down to this: “There’s a reason too many Republicans think we’re not doing what we said we were going to do. That’s because we’re not doing what we said we were going to do. It’s that simple.”
Jordan, chairman of the conservative House Freedom Caucus, says there are three things the Republican-controlled Congress could do upon its return in September to reverse this trend:
- Stop President Obama’s nuclear deal with Iran.
- Cut off taxpayer funding of Planned Parenthood.
- Keep in place the current spending caps.
Those three are all possible, Jordan said, but only if Republicans stand firm—something voters are yearning for Congress to do.
Jordan added that his colleagues should also pass the First Amendment Defense Act, a bill to protect Americans’ religious liberty. It was introduced by Rep. Raul Labrador, R-Idaho, and Sen. Mike Lee, R-Utah, after the Supreme Court’s gay marriage ruling.
These actions need to be coupled with a principled stand on other issues, Jordan said. They include fighting cronyism and ending corporate welfare, moving more able-bodied Americans into the workforce instead of welfare rolls and defending the principles of life and marriage.
Jordan was in Cleveland for Thursday’s Republican presidential debate. He spoke to The Daily Signal after a speech at the House of Blues, where the American Conservative Union and Voter Gravity held a debate watch party.
