The race for Speaker is getting more and more hectic, and conservatives in the House Freedom Caucus have endorsed Rep. Daniel Webster (R-Fla.)–but he may not be as far-right as some think.
Webster endorsed former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush for the Republican nomination in June, arguably the most moderate Republican in the field who supports amnesty for illegal immigration and Common Core testing.
“I’ve known Jeb Bush for three decades, served alongside him in Florida, and witnessed his tenacious, hands-on approach to government reform. Jeb has strong executive experience and it is an honor to endorse him as a principled leader with a proven conservative record,” Webster said at the endorsement ceremony according to the Miami Herald.
Perhaps his endorsement was a sign of loyalty over ideology; there are people who think friendship trumps politics.
After all Webster has a much more conservative/populist/libertarian record than Bush, he voted against the Trade Promotion Authority, arming the Syrian rebels, and reauthorizing the Export-Import Bank, and voted in favor of auditing the Federal Reserve.
He also receives an A rating from Numbers USA, a group that advocates for lower levels of immigration, despite making statements that he would support immigration reform with a path to citizenship.
Even Rep. Steve King (R-Iowa), the most vocal opponent of amnesty in the House, endorsed him for Speaker regardless of these statements.
It just may be the case that Webster has the ability to bring together various factions.
