Party Factions in the House: Reauthorization of the Export-Import Bank

• In Event: Interest Groups, Parties, and the Policies for Which They Advocate

Abstract

Since taking control of the House in the 2010 midterm elections, the Republican Party experienced a rise in factions within their legislative coalition. Starting with the Tea Party movement, the GOP experienced notable squabbles and apparent setbacks as a result of dissent among the more conservative members of the conference. Members of these factions, which we refer to as New Conservatives, took aim at a number of programs they saw as examples of significant federal overreach. One such program, the seemingly non-controversial Export Import Bank of the United States, ignited significant backlash among New Conservatives, who actively worked to eliminate it. We analyze this case with an eye to understanding motivations and strategies that guided New Conservative factions in their efforts. This focused inquiry will allow us to assess how or whether the New Conservatives successfully influenced policy outcomes. To assess whether these efforts amounted to notable influence, we also analyze how party leadership responded to the New Conservative factions. More specifically, we seek to determine whether the party leadership simply responded to the actions of conservative factions, or devised strategies and procedures in anticipation of possible conservative insurgent activities. This focused case study will provide useful insight into how legislative parties manage intra-party conflict in an era of high polarization.

Authors

• Chris Den Hartog, California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo

• Timothy P. Nokken, Texas Tech University