Club for Growth Announces Annual Congressional Scorecard

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Today, Club for Growth announced its publication of the 2018 Club for Growth Foundation’s Congressional Scorecard, which ranks the voting behavior of Members of Congress based on issues relating to limited government and economic growth.

To view the Club for Growth Foundation’s 2018 Congressional Scorecard, click here.  To view all prior Club for Growth Scorecards, click here.

“Despite Republicans being in control of both houses of Congress, profligate spending was the norm,” stated Club for Growth President David McIntosh.  “Looking at these scores, it’s no wonder that Republicans lost control of the House.  Instead of seizing on the opportunity to get our nation’s fiscal house in order, the Republican-led House brought big-spending bills to the floor time and time again.”

“The one positive point is that the more fiscally conservative a member was, the better their reelection chances were.  For example, incumbents who did not win reelection had an average lifetime score of 64 percent.  Whereas, the incumbents that won reelection had a 72 percent lifetime score,” concluded McIntosh.

Based on the scorecard, twenty Members of the United States House of Representatives and five United States Senators will receive the Club for Growth’s Defender of Economic Freedom Award for 2018.  Starting in 2011, Club for Growth required Representatives and Senators to not only score 90% or better on votes cast in a year, but to also maintain a lifetime rating of at least 90%.

Highlights from the Club for Growth Foundation’s 2018 Congressional Scorecard

Four United States Senators received a perfect score in 2018.  The four Senators with a 100% score and a lifetime ranking of 90% or better were: Senators Jeff Flake (R-AZ), Mike Lee (R-UT), Rand Paul (R-KY), and Pat Toomey (R-PA).

Additionally, Senator Ben Sasse (R-NE) had a 2018 score and lifetime score high enough to qualify for the Defender of Economic Freedom award.

Twenty House members who received scores of 90% or better in 2018 also had lifetime scores of 90% or better to qualify for the Defender of Economic Freedom award.

The House members receiving a 100% rating in 2018 were: Representatives Justin Amash (R-MI), Andy Biggs (R-AZ), and Paul Gosar (R-AZ).

The 17 other House members receiving a Defender of Economic Freedom award include: Representatives Dave Bratt (R-VA), Ken Buck (R-CO), Ted Budd (R-NC), Steve Chabot (R-OH), Warren Davidson (R-OH), Jeff Duncan (R-SC), Tom Garrett (R-VA), Louie Gohmert (R-TX), Jeb Hensarling (R-TX), Jody Hice (R-GA), Jim Jordan (R-OH), Raul Labrador (R-ID), Thomas Massie (R-KY), Mark Meadows (R-NC), Tom McClintock (R-CA), John Ratcliffe (R-TX), and Mark Sanford (R-SC).

For the fourth consecutive year, the lowest ranked Republican Senator was Susan Collins (ME) at 22%, and the lowest ranked Republican House members were Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA) and Rep. Christopher Smith (R-NJ) at 28%.

  • Republican leadership scores in 2018 were:
  • Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (KY) – 53%
  • Senate Majority Whip John Cornyn (TX) – 58%
  • Senate Republican Conference Chairman John Thune (SD) – 57%
  • Senate Republican Policy Committee Chairman John Barrasso (WY) – 77%
  • House Speaker Paul Ryan (WI-01) – N/A
  • House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy (CA-23) – 58%
  • House Majority Whip Steve Scalise (LA-01) –60%
  • House Republican Conference Chair Cathy McMorris Rodgers (WA-05) – 50%

The 2018 Congressional Scorecard was produced by the Club for Growth Foundation, a 501(c)(3) organization devoted to educating the public about the value of free markets, pro-growth policies and creating economic prosperity.  The Scorecard is based on 28 votes taken in the House of Representatives and 15 votes taken in the Senate.

 

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