WASHINGTON—Badly outspent and targeted by a withering Chamber of Commerce television ad, Woody White lost the Republican primary for an open House seat from North Carolina last year. Yet with anti-establishment Republicans riding high in the presidential race and Congress these days, the tea party-backed lawyer senses a better environment should he force a 2016 rematch with his GOP rival.
“The message or desire on the part of the electorate to revolt, if you will, from the establishment is so palpable” that it may overcome fundraising advantages his opponent, freshman Rep. David Rouzer, is likely to have, White says.
White and hard-core conservatives around the country say voter anger could help them oust Republican House members considered too unwilling to challenge President Barack Obama and congressional Democrats. They cite a movement energized by the resignation of House Speaker John Boehner, who quit partly to prevent GOP lawmakers from having to vote to keep him in his post—a vote that itself could have prompted primary challenges from irate conservatives.
They also cite the decision by Boehner’s chosen successor, Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy of California, against seeking that post and the early appeal of outsider GOP presidential hopefuls Donald Trump, Ben Carson and Carly Fiorina.
“The buzz in the network is the blood is in the water,” said Mark Meckler, president of Citizens for Self-Governance, a conservative group. “And it’s time to take advantage of the momentum.”
Top Republicans and their business allies say there’s a big gap between planning a challenge and mounting a serious one, citing most incumbents’ huge fundraising advantages. They also question if conservative unrest will trickle down to House races.
But they’re hedging their bets, preparing to spend money if necessary to protect GOP pragmatists, both incumbents and those seeking open seats, from primary challenges.
“The Chamber works to elect pro-business candidates who have the courage to govern when they get to Washington,” said Blair Holmes, spokeswoman for the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, which backed 14 GOP candidates in House and Senate primaries last year. Holmes declined to use a figure for 2016 but said, “We will be very engaged.”
