Brat and Griffith support Bob Goodlatte, heads explode
On Monday, House Judiciary Chairman and 6th District Congressman Bob Goodlatte issued a Press Release with two statements of support from the two Virginia members of the House Freedom Caucus. These endorsements, from freshman Congressman Dave Brat and 3 term Congressman Morgan Griffith, are the capstone to Goodlatte’s effective campaign to win the GOP nod in the 6th District.
Full statements below:
Congressman Dave Brat:
“When friends in my district and across the Commonwealth ask me about Bob Goodlatte, I respond immediately that he has been a very good friend to me since I arrived in Congress.He is a very good principled man who always tells the truth.
Bob has been taking a stand with me on the Balanced Budget Amendment and he has a very solid track record when it comes to illegal immigration, two issues that are of utmost importance to our country. As Chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, Bob has worked hard to fight against President Obama’s Executive Overreach.
Most importantly as the senior member of our Virginia delegation, Bob Goodlatte has always respected each member’s individual vote of conscience and the importance of sticking up for your constituents.”
Congressman Morgan Griffith:
“As a Virginia conservative, I am proud to endorse Bob Goodlatte for re-election. Bob stood firm with fellow conservatives to kill President Obama’s illegal immigration amnesty plan and has stood up against this Administration’s unprecedented abuse of executive power.Bob has also been very helpful to me in my work on the Energy and Commerce Committee, which handles health care policy, as we work to repeal the disaster that is Obamacare. He has stood strong with fellow House conservatives to reject this harmful law and implement conservative solutions that increase access to care and lower costs.
Whether you look at his endorsements from the NRA or National Right to Life, it’s clear Bob has put our shared conservative principles to work in Congress.
I encourage all Sixth District Republicans to vote for my good friend and fellow conservative, Bob Goodlatte, in the June 14th Republican primary.”
For starters, the fact that Morgan Griffith endorsed Bob Goodlatte is like saying “I endorse my best friend and mentor for Congress.” Bob and Morgan have worked together and known each other for twenty years. They work together on everything, they campaign together, and they are practically attached at the hip. So this statement could easily be viewed in that light and not as a surprise.
What was surprising was the statement that came from Congressman Brat. It seems odd that the “RINO hunter” and avowed anti-establishment hero would support someone in Mr. Goodlatte’s position. Mr. Brat is a flamethrower and doesn’t march in lockstep with House leadership. However, even Brat is smart enough to sift through the nonsense and realize that Bob Goodlatte is actually one of the most conservative members in the Congress. Mr. Brat and Mr. Goodlatte both share a 100% score from the American Conservative Union. Mr. Brat and Mr. Goodlatte both have the highest Heritage Action committee scores from the Virginia delegation.
Brat did this because he knows that he can justify supporting Bob Goodlatte to his constituents. Long before Dave Brat even dreamed of being a Congressman, Bob Goodlatte was introducing a Balanced Budget Amendment. Mr. Goodlatte also memorized the Constitution before Mr. Brat was probably even born. They can work together on the tough issues like immigration and executive overreach. Mr. Brat knows he has a better chance of getting something – anything – done by working with Goodlatte than with a another freshman. That’s why he didn’t endorse Goodlatte’s primary opponent.
Also, that whooshing sound you hear is the tiny balloon that belonged to Mr. Goodlatte’s primary opponent being popped with a big Dave Brat sized sewing needle. Things weren’t looking great for Harry Griego to begin with, from the fact that up until only a few weeks ago he didn’t even have a campaign staffer or the fact that he only has $670 dollars in the bank just two weeks before the primary. He based his entire campaign on how Mr. Goodlatte is “dishonest and unpricipled.” He’s also openly campaigned on his desire to be “the next Dave Brat.” Now, with the endorsements of two Freedom Caucus members, including Brat, going to Goodlatte, that narrative is simply gone.
At this point, the question is not who will win. The question is, how high does Goodlatte run up the score?
