Republicans are free traders, right? So, supporting Trade Promotion Authority legislation now pending in the Senate should be a no-brainer; same for the Trans-Pacific Partnership trade deal with key Asian allies.
Except it hasn’t entirely worked out that way. Some of the biggest names in the field of Republican presidential contenders are split on TPA and TPP. The politics of both are more complicated than they used to be, as reflected by the fact that conservatives and liberals have come out for and against granting President Obama more authority to negotiate trade deals, and for and against the Trans-Pacific Partnership — though for different reasons.
Indeed, some of the opponents of TPA and TPP among the GOP White House contenders are usually stalwart free traders. But they’re joining the likes of Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., and opposing none other than House Ways and Means Chairman Paul Ryan, R-Wis., because they’re wary of doing anything perceived as helpful to Obama, and mindful of a populist dissatisfaction with the economy that is prevalent among some of the conservative grassroots.
“I’m in favor of trade. I’ve been in favor of giving presidents fast-track authority. I’m not in favor of giving this president fast-track authority,” is how Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal put it in an interview with the Washington Examiner last week. “I don’t trust him to use that authority. This is a president that has broken the law.”
Here’s where some of the other major GOP 2016 contenders stand:
Jeb Bush, former Florida governor: Supports TPA and TPP
Chris Christie, New Jersey governor: Unclear on TPP; No on TPA because, he told conservative talk radio host Laura Ingraham, “after watching the way this president has negotiated with folks in Iran, I have real concerns about giving this president the ability to negotiate on his own.”
Ted Cruz, Texas senator: Supports TPA and TPP
Carly Fiorina, former Hewlett Packard CEO: Undecided on both. Here’s what she told Ingraham during an interview: “Well, I believe that free and fair trade advantages the U.S.. But I am very uncomfortable with this deal, and I’m uncomfortable with this deal and giving him trade authority.”
Mike Huckabee, former Arkansas governor: No on TPA; unclear on TPP
Rand Paul, Kentucky senator: No on TPA; undecided on TPP
Rick Perry, former Texas governor: Supports TPA and TPP
Marco Rubio, Florida senator: Supports TPA and TPP
Scott Walker, Wisconsin governor: Supports TPP; unclear on TPA
Disclosure: The author’s wife works as an advisor to Scott Walker.
