Republican Party News
Featuring coverage of Republican priorities, legislation, and internal debates, this section examines how the party shapes U.S. politics from a conservative perspective.
-
- Opinion
Gen. John Kelly Is a Good Pick for a Struggling Department of Homeland Security
Reports emerged Wednesday that President-elect Donald Trump will nominate retired Marine Gen. John Kelly for secretary of the Department of Homeland Security. Kelly has both the personal character and years of experience that could make him the right choice for the job. Much like retired Gen. James Mattis, who has been picked by Trump for…Riley Walters -
- News
Mike Pence: ‘Buckle Up’ for Trump’s First 100 Days
Vice President-elect Mike Pence asserted Tuesday night that the Trump administration will have an aggressive first 100 days in office that includes rebuilding the military, repealing Obamacare, and naming a justice to the Supreme Court. The Indiana governor and former U.S. House member said he has visited Capitol Hill about the agenda and issued a…Fred Lucas -
- News
What You Need to Know About Gov. Nikki Haley, Trump’s Pick for UN Ambassador
President-elect Donald Trump has tapped South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley to serve as the U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, Trump’s transition team announced Wednesday. “Gov. Haley has a proven track record of bringing people together regardless of background or party affiliation to move critical policies forward for the betterment of her state and our…Melissa Quinn -
- News
Former Staffer Defends Jeff Sessions From Decades-Old Liberal Attack
In the media, Sen. Jeff Sessions has been under fire since it was announced he was Donald Trump’s choice for attorney general. “I say that the people making these allegations don’t know Jeff Sessions,” said William Smith, the first Republican African-American chief counsel on the Senate Judiciary Committee, in an interview Monday on “Fox & Friends.”…Jamie Gregora -
- News
Why Jeff Sessions, ‘an Advocate for the Constitution,’ Has Conservatives So Excited
As attorney general, Jeff Sessions could go a long way toward reversing the politicization of the Justice Department that occurred under the Obama administration, Republican senators and conservative activists said Friday, after President-elect Donald Trump announced he is nominating the Alabama Republican senator for the nation’s top law enforcement job. “Sen. Sessions’ solid understanding of…Fred Lucas -
- News
What You Need to Know About Attorney General Nominee Jeff Sessions
Sen. Jeff Sessions, R-Ala., has been tapped by President-elect Donald Trump to be the next U.S. attorney general. He previously served in that role for Alabama, and was also a federal prosecutor before his election to the Senate. Sessions was the first senator and among the only members of Congress to endorse Trump during the…Fred Lucas -
- News
Conservatives Hopeful Pence Will Play Big Role in New Administration
Vice President-elect Mike Pence, the governor of Indiana, asked nearly two dozen fellow GOP governors gathered in Orlando to directly reach out to him on policy matters in the course of the coming Donald Trump administration. During the Republican Governors Association meeting Tuesday in Orlando, Pence reiterated Trump’s plan to repeal Obamacare, improve infrastructure, and…Fred Lucas -
- News
Why Ted Cruz Would Leave Supreme Court Seat Vacant
A leading conservative senator believes the vacant Supreme Court seat could remain empty. Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, told reporters at a rally in Loveland, Colorado, that there is a “precedent” for an evenly divided, eight-member court. “You know, I think there will be plenty of time for debate on that issue,” Cruz said when asked…Rachel del Guidice -
- News
How Ted Cruz’s Internet Offensive Could Change Spending Strategy in the House
Sen. Ted Cruz’s latest showdown with the Obama administration over the White House plan to give up control of the internet could help bring wayward conservatives back to Republican leadership’s heel on a stopgap spending measure. Arguments about internet freedom and federal spending have become intertwined on Capitol Hill, affecting how some House conservatives say…Philip Wegmann -
- News
Personal Experience Convinced Sen. Tim Scott on Need for Police Body Cameras
Sen. Tim Scott wishes the police officers who he believes egregiously stopped him various times were wearing body cameras, so that the public can see what he saw. “I would have felt a bit more comfortable actually if there were body cameras present,” Scott, R-S.C., told The Daily Signal in an interview. “I think one…Josh Siegel -
- News
Ted Cruz’s Fight to Protect the Internet From Authoritarian Regimes
The Obama administration’s decision to give up U.S. control of regulating the internet is likely illegal, Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, said. “The Obama administration does not have the authorization from Congress,” Cruz said Thursday, speaking at a Heritage Foundation event on internet freedom. “And yet they are endeavoring to give away this valuable, critical property….Kyle Stewart -
- News
Rand Paul Waste Report Highlights $25 Million Climate Change Project
Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., outlined the federal government’s decision to fund a multimillion-dollar Philippines disaster preparation project in a new edition of The Waste Report. According to the report titled, “Rising Tide of Waste in the Philippines,” “the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) plans to invest as much as $24.7 million as part…Faith Vander Voort -
- News
Mitch McConnell Complains About ‘Unreasonable’ Conservatives, Points Blame at Talk Radio
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell takes pride in his reputation as a great compromiser. But the Republican leader won’t concede on one point: He refuses to let conservatives fight the White House for lower spending levels. McConnell, R-Ky., outlined his political roadmap for government spending on Tuesday, sketching out the routes he sees available: an…Philip Wegmann -
- News
Conservative Groups Call on Mitch McConnell, Paul Ryan to Not Hold a Lame-Duck Session
A group of 75 conservative leaders want Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., and House Speaker Paul Ryan, R-Wis., to promise that Congress will not hold a lame-duck session after the November elections. “At a time when the American people’s trust in their government is near an all-time low, the Republican-led Congress should demonstrate exemplary…Leah Jessen -
- News
Mitch McConnell Pressuring Banking Committee Chairman to Move on Export-Import Bank Nominees
As many Senate Republicans continue to oppose holding hearings for President Barack Obama’s nominee to the Supreme Court, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell is urging Senate Banking Committee Chairman Richard Shelby to move the White House’s nomination to the Export-Import Bank’s board of directors, according to a GOP Senate staffer. The staffer told The Daily…Melissa Quinn -
- News
Rep. Jim Jordan Thinks It’s Time to ‘Do a Conservative Budget.’ Here’s Why.
Congress ought to “lower the overall spending level” to keep faith with Americans concerned that government doesn’t work and the national debt keeps rising, Rep. Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, says. Republican lawmakers, especially conservatives, are inclined to scrap the higher spending of the Boehner-Obama budget deal, Jordan told me in an on-camera interview at the Conservative Political Action Conference,…Genevieve Wood -
- News
Tim Scott: Congress Will ‘Use Every Weapon in Our Arsenal’ to Stop Obama From Closing Guantanamo
Sen. Tim Scott vowed Thursday that the Republican-led Congress will “stand strong and use every weapon in our arsenal” to stop President Barack Obama from closing the U.S. military prison at Guantanamo Bay. Scott, R-S.C., has been a leading opponent of Obama’s plan to close the facility in Cuba and has warned the president against authorizing…Josh Siegel -
- News
Mitch McConnell Promises House Members He Won’t Back Down in Supreme Court Fight
Majority Leader Mitch McConnell left the Senate to address House Republicans’ weekly conference meeting Tuesday morning. His message was simple: Senate Republicans will hold fast to their promise not to advance a Supreme Court nominee. Rep. Tim Huelskamp, R-Kan., summed up the closed-door appearance this way: “Mitch McConnell said to members, ‘Read my lips: No…Philip Wegmann -
- News
House Conservatives and Mitch McConnell Make Nice
A regular target of conservatives, Mitch McConnell often takes flak for political hesitancy and his willingness to cut bipartisan deals in the Senate. But Tuesday night, the Senate majority leader won high praise from leaders of the House Freedom Caucus for promising to block the confirmation of any new nominees to the Supreme Court until…Philip Wegmann -
- Opinion
Nikki Haley in GOP Response: ‘Big Decisions to Make’
Here is the full text of South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley’s Republican Address to the Nation after President Barack Obama gives the State of the Union address. >>> Watch the Speech Live on The Daily Signal Good evening. I’m Nikki Haley, Governor of the great state of South Carolina. I’m speaking tonight from Columbia, our state’s…Nikki Haley