There are primary challenges brewing against several of the House GOP's 87 freshmen next year - but National Republican Congressional Committee Chairman Pete Sessions says he's not concerned about the intraparty sniping that could be coming.
"I think that it's a natural thing for a brand new member of Congress to be challenged his first time out," Sessions said in an interview on C-SPAN's "Newsmakers," which will air on Sunday at 10 a.m. and again at 6 p.m. ET.
"I think that it's a natural thing for a brand new member of Congress to be challenged his first time out," Sessions said in an interview on C-SPAN's "Newsmakers," which will air on Sunday at 10 a.m. and again at 6 p.m. ET.
"We expect that, not only from the Democrats as they come after our first term freshmen members, but we expect that internally. And this is a healthy thing," he said.
Sessions said that while the primary fights could force both freshmen and veteran members to have to spend money early, hurting them down the road against Democrats, it was still too early to tell the impact they could have in the general election.
"It does not bother me necessarily if I see some of our members [in primaries]," said Sessions. "I think it's a reminder that our members need to go back home and sell the agenda that we're doing and sell the fight that we're still having in Washington.""
Freshmen Reps. Bill Huizenga, R-Mich., Nan Hayworth, R-N.Y., and Scott DesJarlais, R-Tenn., are only a few of the members who have had possible primary challengers smelling blood. Rep. Chuck Fleischmann, R-Tenn., has already drawn a primary challenge from 24-year-old Weston Wamp, the son of former Rep. Zach Wamp, R-Tenn., who Fleischmann succeeded last year.
http://www.nationaljournal.com/blogs/hotlineoncall/2011/10/sessions-not-concerned-about-primary-challenges-to-freshmen-14
Sessions said that while the primary fights could force both freshmen and veteran members to have to spend money early, hurting them down the road against Democrats, it was still too early to tell the impact they could have in the general election.
"It does not bother me necessarily if I see some of our members [in primaries]," said Sessions. "I think it's a reminder that our members need to go back home and sell the agenda that we're doing and sell the fight that we're still having in Washington.""
Freshmen Reps. Bill Huizenga, R-Mich., Nan Hayworth, R-N.Y., and Scott DesJarlais, R-Tenn., are only a few of the members who have had possible primary challengers smelling blood. Rep. Chuck Fleischmann, R-Tenn., has already drawn a primary challenge from 24-year-old Weston Wamp, the son of former Rep. Zach Wamp, R-Tenn., who Fleischmann succeeded last year.
http://www.nationaljournal.com/blogs/hotlineoncall/2011/10/sessions-not-concerned-about-primary-challenges-to-freshmen-14