McCarthy Receives Support from Pennsylvania House Delegation

       With house speaker elections rapidly approaching it is important to examine which speaker candidates are receiving the most endorsements as well as the ideological positions of those Representatives dispersing said endorsements. It is clear that Kevin McCarthy is the strong front runner. Yesterday, eleven U.S House Representatives from the Pennsylvania delegation signed a letter and made an announcement endorsing Kevin McCarthy's campaign to succeed John Boehner as Speaker of the U.S House of Representatives. With Pennsylvania's position as a swing state it is important to take note of the positions expressed by its representatives, especially with both; the unprecedented polarization of Congress and the upcoming 2016 elections. This column aims to enlighten the reader on the differences present among the Pennsylvania delegations members and the united front that these members have presented in regard to McCarthy's candidacy. 

  

       A majority of the Pennsylvania House delegation members that are endorsing Kevin McCarthy are Moderate Republicans. Now the term Moderate can differ among particular individuals so everyone may not agree with the classifications used in this article. These endorsements come as both a surprise and an expectation depending on the individual Congressman. The PA moderates that support McCarthy are Charlie Dent (PA 15th), Pat Meehan (PA 7th), Tim Murphy (PA 18th), Lou Barletta (PA 11th), Mike Fitzpatrick (PA 8th), Bill Shuster (PA 9th),  Tom Marino (PA 10th), and Glenn Thompson (PA 5th). I examined these Congressman because they are all Moderate in their own right and Kevin McCarthy leans more toward conservative principles. It is also important note that depending on the issue at hand some of these congressman may lean a little more conservatively. 

        Dent and Meehan have very similar districts that includes both large areas of farmland and large suburban domains. These suburban areas tend to lean more socially liberal and have higher populations which is why both Dent and Meehan hold such moderate principles. Murphy's district is also similar to latter, however, it includes a majority of Pittsburgh's suburbs which tend to be more moderate in certain respects. Dent most likely sees McCarthy as more partisan then Boehner, but for the sake of the party and the country he is probably giving support in order to show a more united front. 

       Baretta, Shuster, Thompson and Marino lean more conservative however they do have certain social moderate views, but those are few and far between. That is why they were included in this category. These four Congressman were somewhat more difficult to find information on. 

      Fitzpatrick is the loner in this section because his district includes a majority of the Philadelphia suburbs that typically lean more liberal to moderate on social and sometimes fiscal issues. Along with Dent and Meehan, Fitzpatrick was one of the more surprising people on this list to give support to McCarthy.

      Since McCarthy is being described as more conservative then his predecessor it is no surprise that Congressman Ryan Costello (PA 6th), Joe Pitts (PA 16th), and Mike Kelley (PA 3rd) have endorsed his candidacy. Costello fits the mold of a Tea Party Republican and although the Teas Party makes some fiscally responsible points they are making trouble for more moderate members. If Tea Party members are endorsing McCarthy it is a clear sign that the polarization in Washington will only continue. Pitts and Kelly are traditional conservatives just like Kevin McCarthy so they were expected to throw their support in McCarthy's direction from the beginning. It comes as no surprise. 

      It is clear that McCarthy holds more conservative principles than John Boehner did. This will only further escalate the political polarization in Washington and contribute the the rampant incompetency of our current Congress. If more moderation is not introduced to the Republican Party soon then said party will destroy itself in twenty years time. Moderation equals liberation and the Republicans must liberate themselves from certain old world practices and principles.

Sources:

http://www.nytimes.com/2015/10/01/us/politics/house-leadership-race.html

http://www.lehighvalleylive.com/news/index.ssf/2015/09/pennsylvania_republican_endorse_house_speaker.html

http://www.readingeagle.com/news/article/congressmen-who-represent-berks-endorse-kevin-mccarthy-as-house-speaker

https://www.govtrack.us/congress/members/PA