Republicans in tough races vote against Ryan budget resolution

A dozen Republicans voted against Rep. Paul Ryan’s (R-Wis.) budget on Thursday, including many facing tough elections this year.

{mosads}All three Georgia Republicans running for the Senate voted against the bill: Rep. Paul Broun, who has consistently opposed the Ryan plan because he believes it isn’t conservative enough; and Reps. Phil Gingrey and Jack Kingston. This is the first time Kingston has opposed one of Ryan’s annual budget plans, while Gingrey voted against last year’s after previously supporting it. Rep. Austin Scott (R-Ga.) also voted against the budget despite backing previous Ryan budgets.

Other “no” votes include Republicans facing primaries who voted against the bill from the right and others in swing districts who may have opposed it from the left. Democrats often use the Ryan budget plan’s changes to Medicare to attack GOP candidates.

Newly elected Rep. David Jolly (R-Fla.), who narrowly won a special election in a senior-heavy swing district, and Rep. Frank LoBiondo (R-N.J.), who is facing a competitive race, both voted against the bill. LoBiondo had previously supported it. 

Some candidates facing primaries also voted against the bill. Rep. Ralph Hall (R-Texas), who’s voted for Ryan’s budgets in the past, is in a runoff battle against a candidate running to his right. He voted against it this time. Libertarian-leaning Rep. Walter Jones (R-N.C.), who is in a competitive primary with a more establishment Republican, once again voted against the bill, as did libertarian-leaning Rep. Thomas Massie (R-Ky.).

Reps. Chris Gibson (R-N.Y.), Rick Crawford (R-Ark.) and David McKinley (R-W.Va.) also voted against the bill, as they have in the past. Gibson is in a competitive race, while the others represent districts with older, more populist-leaning voters.