The 112th Congress is coming to an end. Many of us are disappointed that the high hopes in the 2010 midterm election were not realized, and many freshmen congressmen never met our expectations. Since Christmas is near, it seems like a good time to make a couple of lists showing who’s nice and who’s naughty. A great place to bookmark and use for reference is here.
The scoring of GOP House members is determined with a Madison Performance Index (MPI). The Madison Performance Index is very simple. It involves nothing more than addition and subtraction. In order to match up a member’s voting record with the general ideological bent of their district, two elements are used: 1) the average between their Club for Growth and Heritage Action score in 2011 and 2) the Cook Partisan Voter Index (PVI) based on pre-redistricting to reflect the districts of 2011.
Then a target optimal conservative score based on how conservative the district is rated by the Cook PVI is set, and it’s matched against the average of their Heritage Action and Club for Growth legislative score. For every point they score below the target number for their district, they received a minus; for every point they scored above the target, they received a positive score.
The lists below take into account some additional criteria. Only states with a GOP majority in their congressional delegation are considered. States are not considered if they have members in both lists. The name of the State GOP is in bold letters instead of the individual members because a lot of people at the PC committeeman level are responsible for recruiting a great slate of candidates and holding them accountable once elected. This year the Naughty List is longer than the Nice List, but this can be temporary. Each State GOP has the power to change, and now is the time.
The State GOP that make the Nice List
South Carolina GOP
| Cook PVI | Member | Heritage Action | Club for Growth | Average Score | Target | Index (MPI) |
| R+7 | Mick Mulvaney (SC-5) | 93 | 99 | 96 | 81 | 15 |
| R+9 | Joe Wilson (SC-2) | 94 | 97 | 95.5 | 84 | 11.5 |
| R+17 | Jeff Duncan (SC-3) | 98 | 97 | 97.5 | 90 | 7.5 |
| R+15 | Trey Gowdy (SC-4) | 96 | 97 | 96.5 | 90 | 6.5 |
| R+10 | Tim Scott (SC-1) | 86 | 92 | 89 | 85.5 | 3.5 |
Arizona GOP
| Cook PVI | Member | Heritage Action | Club for Growth | Average Score | Target | Index (MPI) |
| R+5 | David Schweickert (AZ-5) | 91 | 93 | 92 | 78 | 14 |
| R+13 | Trent Franks (AZ-2) | 97 | 100 | 98.5 | 90 | 8.5 |
| R+15 | Jeff Flake (AZ-6) | 97 | 100 | 98.5 | 90 | 8.5 |
| R+9 | Ben Quayle (AZ-3) | 82 | 98 | 90 | 84 | 6 |
Wisconsin GOP
| Cook PVI | Member | Heritage Action | Club for Growth | Average Score | Target | Index (MPI) |
| R+2 | Reid Ribble (WI-8) | 79 | 90 | 84.5 | 73.5 | 11 |
| R+2 | Paul Ryan (WI-1) | 78 | 73 | 75.5 | 73.5 | 2 |
Georgia GOP
| Cook PVI | Member | Heritage Action | Club for Growth | Average Score | Target | Index (MPI) |
| R+28 | Tom Graves (GA-9) | 97 | 100 | 98.5 | 90 | 8.5 |
| R+15 | Paul Broun (GA-10) | 96 | 95 | 95.5 | 90 | 5.5 |
Colorado GOP
| Cook PVI | Member | Heritage Action | Club for Growth | Average Score | Target | Index (MPI) |
| R+14 | Doug Lamborn (CO-5) | 94 | 100 | 97 | 90 | 7 |
| R+8 | Mike Coffman (CO-6) | 82 | 86 | 84 | 82.5 | 1.5 |
Kansas GOP
| Cook PVI | Member | Heritage Action | Club for Growth | Average Score | Target | Index (MPI) |
| R+23 | Tim Huelskamp (KS-1) | 93 | 100 | 96.5 | 90 | 6.5 |
| R+3 | Kevin Yoder (KS-3) | 74 | 76 | 75 | 75 | Even |
Indiana GOP
| Cook PVI | Member | Heritage Action | Club for Growth | Average Score | Target | Index (MPI) |
| R+17 | Dan Burton (IN-5) | 91 | 98 | 94.5 | 90 | 4.5 |
| R+14 | Marlin Stutzman (IN-3) | 86 | 99 | 92.5 | 90 | 2.5 |
Minnesota GOP
| Cook PVI | Member | Heritage Action | Club for Growth | Average Score | Target | Index (MPI) |
| R+7 | Michele Bachmann (MN-6) | 90 | 89 | 89.5 | 81 | 8.5 |
Utah GOP
| Cook PVI | Member | Heritage Action | Club for Growth | Average Score | Target | Index (MPI) |
| R+26 | Jason Chaffetz (UT-3) | 97 | 100 | 98.5 | 90 | 8.5 |
The State GOP that make the Naughty List
Pennsylvania GOP
| Cook PVI | Member | Heritage Action | Club for Growth | Average Score | Target | Index (MPI) |
| R+12 | Todd Platts (PA-19) | 53 | 48 | 50.5 | 88.5 | -38 |
| R+17 | Bill Shuster (PA-9) | 55 | 54 | 54.5 | 90 | -35.5 |
| R+9 | Glenn Thompson (PA-5) | 56 | 48 | 52 | 84 | -32 |
| R+8 | Tom Marino (PA-10) | 58 | 60 | 59 | 82.5 | -23.5 |
| D+3 | Pat Meehan (PA-7) | 49 | 42 | 45.5 | 66 | -20.5 |
| R+3 | Mike Kelly (PA-3) | 55 | 54 | 54.5 | 75 | -20.5 |
| D+2 | Mike Fitzpatrick (PA-8) | 52 | 43 | 47.5 | 67.5 | -20 |
Alabama GOP
| Cook PVI | Member | Heritage Action | Club for Growth | Average Score | Target | Index (MPI) |
| R+14 | Jo Bonner (AL-1) | 56 | 49 | 52.5 | 90 | -37.5 |
| R+26 | Robert Aderholt (AL-4) | 59 | 51 | 55 | 90 | -35 |
| R+9 | Mike Rogers (AL-3) | 56 | 49 | 52.5 | 84 | -31.5 |
| R+16 | Martha Roby (AL-2) | 63 | 58 | 60.5 | 90 | -29.5 |
| R+29 | Spencer Bachus (AL-6) | 64 | 61 | 62.5 | 90 | -27.5 |
Kentucky GOP
| Cook PVI | Member | Heritage Action | Club for Growth | Average Score | Target | Index (MPI) |
| R+15 | Ed Whitfield (KY-1) | 53 | 50 | 51.5 | 90 | -38.5 |
| R+16 | Hal Rogers (KY-5) | 56 | 48 | 52 | 90 | -38 |
| R+15 | Brett Guthrie (KY-2) | 56 | 60 | 58 | 90 | -32 |
| R+14 | Geoff Davis (KY-4) | 63 | 70 | 66.5 | 90 | -23.5 |
West Virginia GOP
| Cook PVI | Member | Heritage Action | Club for Growth | Average Score | Target | Index (MPI) |
| R+9 | David McKinley (WV-1) | 42 | 37 | 39.5 | 84 | -44.5 |
| R+8 | Shelly Moore Capito (WV-2) | 53 | 44 | 48.5 | 82.5 | -34 |
Oklahoma GOP
| Cook PVI | Member | Heritage Action | Club for Growth | Average Score | Target | Index (MPI) |
| R+24 | Frank Lucas (OK-3) | 55 | 48 | 51.5 | 90 | -38.5 |
| R+18 | Tom Cole (OK-4) | 57 | 53 | 55 | 90 | -35 |
Arkansas GOP
| Cook PVI | Member | Heritage Action | Club for Growth | Average Score | Target | Index (MPI) |
| R+16 | Steve Womack (AR-3) | 58 | 52 | 55 | 90 | -35 |
| R+8 | Rick Crawford (AR-1) | 58 | 53 | 55.5 | 82.5 | -27 |
Nebraska GOP
| Cook PVI | Member | Heritage Action | Club for Growth | Average Score | Target | Index (MPI) |
| R+11 | Jeff Fortenberry (NE-1) | 59 | 49 | 54 | 87 | -33 |
| R+24 | Adrian Smith (NE-3) | 66 | 68 | 67 | 90 | -23 |
Mississippi GOP
| Cook PVI | Member | Heritage Action | Club for Growth | Average Score | Target | Index (MPI) |
| R+20 | Steven Palazzo (MS-4) | 63 | 61 | 62 | 90 | -28 |
| R+15 | Gregg Harper (MS-3) | 61 | 63 | 62 | 90 | -28 |
Tennessee GOP
| Cook PVI | Member | Heritage Action | Club for Growth | Average Score | Target | Index (MPI) |
| R+21 | Phil Roe (TN-1) | 69 | 70 | 68.5 | 90 | -20.5 |
| R+13 | Diane Black (TN-6) | 69 | 71 | 70 | 90 | -20 |
Alaska GOP
| Cook PVI | Member | Heritage Action | Club for Growth | Average Score | Target | Index (MPI) |
| R+13 | Don Young (AK-0) | 39 | 36 | 37.5 | 90 | -52.5 |
North Dakota GOP
| Cook PVI | Member | Heritage Action | Club for Growth | Average Score | Target | Index (MPI) |
| R+10 | Rick Berg (ND-0) | 61 | 54 | 57.5 | 85.5 | -28 |
Virginia GOP
| Cook PVI | Member | Heritage Action | Club for Growth | Average Score | Target | Index (MPI) |
| R+9 | Eric Cantor (VA-7) | 61 | 55 | 58 | 84 | -26 |
South Dakota GOP
| Cook PVI | Member | Heritage Action | Club for Growth | Average Score | Target | Index (MPI) |
| R+9 | Kristi Noem (SD-0) | 60 | 60 | 60 | 84 | -24 |
Montana GOP
| Cook PVI | Member | Heritage Action | Club for Growth | Average Score | Target | Index (MPI) |
| R+7 | Denny Rehberg (MT-0) | 61 | 58 | 59.5 | 81 | -21.5 |
I’ve sent this to my reps in AL. I think part of the problem is that statewide, many of our Republicans are former Dems and not conservative. We’re trying to recruit and grow some new ones.
I believe you can succeed. I remember not so long ago when South Carolina had a few that were not conservative. Some retired and one, Bob Ingles, was primaried. Jim DeMint was very helpful with recruiting and supporting in SC, and maybe Sessions can help like that in AL.
Given the limited role of the GOP House the last two years, I wonder what were the top three votes that most distinguished the naughty from the nice? Interestingly, knowing the vast difference between Repubs and Dems over the past decade in similar ratings comparisons, this latest pilgrimage into the weeds caused me to focus even more on my decade-long signature line quote attributed to Andy Jackson that champions the “great man” view of history. I was one that though surely with such a radical liberal’s epic fail, a majority of Americans would see the light and move right. Given that they didn’t, is there any reason to hope that a tea partier in Congress could capture the imagination the electorate in 2016? However, I do think that it is vital that we take the Senate in 2014 so we can at least stop more things that Obama wants. I think Rand Paul is wrong to echo my 3am after Election night “plan” to let Obama have all he wants and hope that voters will get it quicker. More later
I’m hopeful that we’re about to change direction with the leadership of the AL-GOP. Our current chairman was exposed to have taken a $5K donation from the AL Education Association (AEA), the single most corrupt group in the state which fights us tooth and nail on every single issue. He tried to play it off, but we’re not buying. I know his challenger for the chairman position who is younger, more energetic, has run campaigns (for local conservatives), and is interested in recruiting from the ground up. We need to get DeMint to talk to Sessions.
Pilgrim, I’m surprised you didn’t include Ohio here. Are we naughty or nice?
Ohio is a schizophrenic and uncertain if it wants to be conservative or Dem-lite. You have Jim Jordan and Steve Chabot for the conservative and have John Boehner and Steve LaTourette for the Dem-lite.
Heh. Give Ohio a little credit LaTourette is retiring and Betty Sutton who got a rating of 2 from ACU is out.
I can’t help it we got Boehner. He ain’t in my district but I do know he got a 99.8 % up vote from his people down there. Must be something in the water, not unlike the Cuyahoga River in Cleveland.
Hope springs eternal that the Ohio GOP for the 113th Congress is an improvement over the 112th Congress. It truly was LaTourette who kept me from listing Ohio this time, and surely the new guy won’t be that awful.