Why do Establishment Republicans object to the Freedom Caucus and Tea Party?
A closer look at what these groups advocate for and how they compare to the Republican Party of Texas.
July 20, 2023 | Montgomery County, TX
In recent months, the County Chairman and his followers have gone to great lengths to attack and disparage the Montgomery County Freedom Caucus and the Montgomery County Tea Party PAC. Why does the Republican County Chairman, his wife, and his supporters want you, the public, to believe that these groups are the “bad guys” causing the split in the Republican Party? Why does he continually insist that these organizations are trying to “take over” the County Party? It’s an interesting question and one that needs to be answered.
It is acknowledged that there are some Precinct Chairs who are members of the Montgomery County Freedom Caucus, the Montgomery County Tea Party, or both. Perhaps a closer look at what these groups advocate for will help everyone understand why they choose to be members.
What Is the Montgomery County Freedom Caucus?
The Montgomery County Freedom Caucus is made up of like-minded Precinct Chairs and other community members. The Precinct Chairs who are members of the Freedom Caucus actually form the majority of the Montgomery County Republican Party’s County Executive Committee (CEC).
The Freedom Caucus adopted this name because it represents the America-First, Judeo-Christian beliefs and traditional conservative values that they all share. The local Freedom Caucus members developed a mission statement and a set of principles to make their purpose and goals clear. Each member must agree to the mission statement and principles in order to remain a member of the organization.
Freedom Caucus Mission Statement:
“The Montgomery County Republican Party Freedom Caucus gives a voice to the members of the local Republican Party who stand for the stated principles and values of the Republican Party of Texas. We support open, accountable, and limited government, the Constitution, and the rule of law. We oppose crony capitalism and nepotism, and we strive to ensure that there is integrity in our electoral process.”
The Montgomery County Republican Party Freedom Caucus gives a voice to the members of the local Republican Party who stand for the stated principles and values of the Republican Party of Texas.
Members of the Freedom Caucus are asked to affirm the following Principles:
God is the Creator and giver of life and I still hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness, and the private ownership of property.
I believe in “The laws of nature and nature’s God,” and I support the strict adherence to the original language and intent of the Declaration of Independence and the Constitutions of the United States and of Texas and I will protect and defend against the subversion of these documents from all enemies foreign and domestic.
I believe God is the strength of our Nation.
I believe that God’s definition of the Family is one of the platforms that strengthens the Nation.
I believe in Family/Parental rights, and that Parents have the sole responsibility to determine the Educational and Health Care decisions for their Children.
I oppose any school curriculum that undermines the Constitution or Traditional Family Values.
I believe that life begins at conception, and it is our solemn duty to protect the innocent from conception through natural death.
I believe that our economic success depends upon free market principles.
I will fight to preserve the sovereignty and freedom of Texas and the USA.
I denounce any organization that threatens American sovereignty, such as the United Nations, and any treaty, executive order, or policy that conflicts with our Constitution.
I will work to provide transparency to and limit government power to those items enumerated in the United States and Texas Constitutions.
I believe in personal accountability and responsibility.
I will protect the Republican Party brand from outside organizations who would use the Republican name in such a way as to confuse voters into supporting candidates or ideals which are not consistent with the Republican Party of Texas values and principles.
I acknowledge that a Freedom Caucus member cannot be a member of or distribute literature or campaign in any way for any organization that has been denounced or censured by the Montgomery County Republican Party and the Freedom Caucus.
I will only support the moral intent of the Republican Party Platform, Republican candidates, and duly elected Republican officials.
As you read the Freedom Caucus mission statement and principles, is there anything you disagree with as a Conservative Republican?
Montgomery County Tea Party Mission Statement
Let’s examine the Tea Party’s Mission Statement and Core Values.
“The mission of the Montgomery County Tea Party PAC (MCTP PAC) is to organize, educate, and empower present and future generations to better convey our opinions and encourage the adoption of our Core Values. We will promote our Core Values in the hearts and minds of our members, elected officials, and fellow citizens. We will support candidates at the local, state, and federal levels who espouse our Core Values.”
Montgomery County Tea Party Core Values
Acknowledgement of our Creator: The same Lord and Creator that is mentioned throughout our country’s founding document, “The Declaration of Independence,” is omnipresent today. MCTP PAC acknowledges that God is the Creator of all things and that without God, our efforts are insignificant. We are inspired by the Declaration of Independence and the U.S. Constitution. We regard the U.S. Constitution to be the supreme law of the land.
God is the Creator of all things and without God, our efforts are insignificant. We are inspired by the Declaration of Independence and the U.S. Constitution. We regard the U.S. Constitution to be the supreme law of the land.
Uphold the Free Markets: A free market is the economic outcome of personal liberty. The founders believed that personal and economic freedom were indivisible, as do we. Government interference with the free market, whether it originates from federal, state, or local government, is punitive, unwelcome, and disruptive, thereby inhibiting individual pursuit of happiness and economic liberty.
Uphold Limited Government: We believe that “The best government is that which governs least.” (Thoreau’s Civil Disobedience). The federal government is limited to actions authorized by the U.S. Constitution. We support individual liberty and individual responsibility: thus, the states or the people should act in all other matters.
Uphold Fiscal Responsibility: A limited government, designed to protect the blessings of liberty, must be fiscally responsible. Increased spending, taxation, and debt unjustly restrict the very individual liberty that limited government is designed to protect, abrogate the rights the U.S. Constitution is designed to secure, and threaten our national sovereignty.
Uphold Ethics: We believe in honesty, transparency, and ethical practices. The end does not justify the means. Our principles are important, and the methods we use to achieve them are important. We want our government to be an ethical government, so we must be ethical, as well.
How do these statements and principles line up with the Republican Party of Texas? Let’s take a look.
Republican Party of Texas Preamble and Principles
Party Platform Preamble
Affirming our belief in God, we still hold these truths to be self-evident: that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness. Throughout the world, people dare to dream of freedom and opportunity. The Republican Party of Texas unequivocally defends that dream. We strive to preserve the freedom given to us by God, implemented by our Founding Fathers, and embodied in the Constitution. We recognize that human nature is immutable. We further recognize that the traditional family is the strength of our nation. It is our solemn duty to protect innocent life and develop responsible citizens. We understand that our economic success depends upon free market principles. If we fail to maintain our sovereignty, we risk losing the freedom to live these ideals.
We strive to preserve the freedom given to us by God, implemented by our Founding Fathers, and embodied in the Constitution.
Party Principles
We, the 2022 Republican Party of Texas, believe in this platform and expect our elected leaders to uphold these truths through acknowledgment and action. We believe in:
“The laws of nature and nature’s God,” and we support the strict adherence to the original language and intent of the Declaration of Independence and the Constitutions of the United States and of Texas.
The sanctity of innocent human life, created in the image of God, which should be equally protected from fertilization to natural death.
Preserving individual, Texan, and American sovereignty and freedom.
Limiting government power to those items enumerated in the United States and Texas Constitutions.
Personal accountability and responsibility.
Self-sufficient families, founded on the traditional marriage of a natural man and a natural woman.
Having an educated population, with parents having the freedom of choice for the education of their children.
The inalienable right of all people to defend themselves and their property.
A free enterprise society unencumbered by government interference or subsidies.
Honoring all of those that serve and protect our freedom.
WOW, that is amazing! Do you see the similarities between all three organizations? Certain values stand out: integrity, personal accountability, ethical practices, limited government, freedom, support of the U.S. Constitution and founding documents, and a belief in God as our Creator and giver of rights.
Comparison of Freedom Caucus (FC), Tea Party (TP), and Republican Party of Texas (RPT) Principles.
Which of these mission statements and core beliefs are objectionable?
Again, one must ask, which of these core beliefs do the County Chairman, his wife, and followers object to? They have never addressed just what it is about the majority Precinct Chairs subscribing to these values and beliefs that upsets them so. Is it the personal responsibility and accountability? How about honesty and integrity? Could it be the principle of limited government, decentralized government, or the Constitution that they just can’t abide? Is it the support of the Republican Party Platform and Principles that gives them real grief? The Chairman and his supporters need to answer these questions.
We submit that if you examine the actions of the County Chairman and his supporters, you will find that they routinely violate these core principles and mission statements.
For example, the County Chairman has been involved with PACs using the Republican Party brand to trick voters, and printing “Republican” voter guides that support his wife’s political consulting firm clients. This is a violation of the Freedom Caucus Principles. The Tea Party has a strict vetting process for its endorsements and voter guides. The Freedom Caucus and Tea Party work to warn Montgomery County voters about the deceptive voter guides produced by the Chairman’s PACs, and the Tea Party voter guide is the most trusted guide in Montgomery County, putting it in competition with the Chairman’s deceptive PAC voter guides. Could this be why the Chairman and his followers are against the Freedom Caucus and Tea Party?
We invite you to review videos, CEC meeting minutes, and the many news releases and articles found on our website, mctxgop.org, so that you might compare the Chairman’s actions and words to those of the CEC majority’s explanations. We believe that when the truth is known, only one conclusion is possible—the Chairman is trying to circumvent the majority of the elected Precinct Chairs in Montgomery County. He has created and perpetuates the conflict and division in the Party and is not deserving of the support of Republican voters or elected officials.
More Information
View all News Releases.
Read Revenge of the RINOs.
Read the Republican Party of Texas Mediation Report.
Visit County Party Updates for documentation and videos.