On Monday, FreedomWorks PAC, the grassroots conservative organization, will officially back some of the most prominent Tea Party members in Congress–like Reps. Jim Bridenstine (R-OK), Louie Gohmert (R-TX), and Tim Huelskamp (R-KS)–for reelection.
The group will also endorse Sens. Tim Scott (R-SC), Jim Inhofe (R-OK), and Jim Risch (R-ID). Reps. Thomas Massie (R-KY), Matt Salmon (R-AZ), Tom Graves (R-GA), Jim Bridenstine, Mark Sanford (R-SC), Louie Gohmert, Tim Huelskamp, Ron DeSantis (R-FL), and Ted Yoho (R-FL) will all receive FreedomWorks’ endorsement.
“There are two main objectives heading into 2014–we have to expand the freedom caucus in the House and Senate, but we also have to protect the champions that have been repopulating the GOP over the past few years,” a FreedomWorks’ spokeswoman told Politico. “There’s a forward-looking and a defensive strategy to each of these cycles.”
FreedomWorks PAC has also backed Tea Party challengers, like Matt Bevin against Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) and Chris McDaniel against incumbent GOP Senator Thad Cochran (R-MS).
The group has already endorsed conservative Reps. Tom McClintock (R-CA), who came in third in the 2003 gubernatorial election and is a longtime champion of conservatives, and Mike Pompeo (R-KS). The PAC is also endorsing former Secret Service agent Dan Bongino in his bid for a Maryland House seat.