GOP hard-liners are pushing to oust House colleagues — and they have a new target
Rep. William Timmons of South Carolina is the latest incumbent facing a potential primary loss as part of a Republican proxy war over divisions in the House.
Hard-right Republicans in Congress have so far failed to oust the handful of their GOP colleagues they’ve targeted in primaries this year. But the effort is moving forward, and Rep. William Timmons of South Carolina is next on their list.
It’s the latest incumbent primary in an ongoing proxy war for House GOP divisions over whether it’s best to work across the aisle and find some amount of common ground to pass legislation — or hold the conservative line at all costs, even if it means grinding Congress to a halt.
Rep. William Timmons on Jan. 31, 2023 in Washington.Kevin Dietsch / Getty Images fileGOP Rep. Nancy Mace’s challenge in her primary has attracted more attention in South Carolina. But Timmons, a three-term congressman, is also facing a competitive primary Tuesday against state Rep. Adam Morgan, who's the leader of the Freedom Caucus in the South Carolina Legislature and has the support of several members of Congress.
For Timmons, this race is not about his conservative credentials.
“This isn’t a ‘Freedom Caucus versus William Timmons.’ This is a fringe, loud component of the Freedom Caucus,” Timmons said. “I have a more conservative voting record than six out of the nine people that have endorsed my primary opponent out of the Republican conference.”
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