FreedomWorks President Adam Brandon told Breitbart News in an exclusive interview this week that conservative candidates such as Montana state auditor Matt Rosendale and West Virginia Attorney General Patrick Morrisey have won their respective Republican primaries because they’re running “national campaigns” that emphasize issues such as immigration repealing Obamacare.
In a previous interview with Brandon this week, he spoke with Breitbart News about FreedomWorks’ campaign to push for Rep. Jim Jordan (R-OH) for Speaker of the House. Brandon said that a potential Speaker Jordan would play a “huge part” in draining the swamp.
FreedomWorks for America backed both Morrisey and Rosendale for their respective Senate Republican primaries. Morrisey and Rosendale have cast themselves as candidates who support of President Donald Trump’s America First agenda to repeal Obamacare, cut taxes, build a wall on America’s southern border, and enact pro-American immigration reform. Conservative champion Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY) endorsed both Morrisey and Rosendale.
Brandon said that both candidates have done well by running on national issues such as repealing Obamacare, whereas he argues that Republicans often do poorly in localized elections.
The FreedomWorks president said, “They have a huge impact in Montana and West Virginia. They’re addressing major issues and that’s what their voters want, they’re concerned about the direction of the country. If the country goes down, West Virginia goes down with it.”
Speaking of Rosendale, Brandon said, “His background matches up with his rhetoric and some of the stuff he did.”
Many conservatives speak of cutting spending, however, Rosendale has cut staff in his own office while serving as state auditor. Rosendale explained in an interview with Breitbart News Saturday in June, “I’m reducing costs in my office by 23 percent. I’ve reduced staffing by over six percent. Jon Tester signs off on a $1.3 trillion bill which includes bonuses for his offices. I’ve declined my pay increase; I’m the only state official to do so.”
Brandon emphasized that because Rosendale and Morrisey have won their election without the Republican party apparatus, they are not beholden to Washington, DC, influence.
“They both have won these elections on their own they’re going to be independent,” Brandon said. “Mike Lee, Rand Paul, and Ted Cruz got elected without the party establishment so they’re not beholden to them.”
FreedomWorks for America also endorsed Wisconsin Marine veteran and businessman Kevin Nicholson for the Wisconsin Senate Republican primary. Brandon argued that they endorsed Nicholson not only for his conservative values but also for the great story behind his political transformation from a Democrat to a staunch conservative.
Brandon explained:
The ironic thing to me about Nicholson that really struck me is that he was a Democrat at first. And he spoke at the 2000 Democratic convention and then he went and served in the military after 9/11 and came out a changed guy, that’s what I’m hoping we do more of in this country. I want to talk to more Democrats, here’s what I thought before and here’s what changed me. That’s a great narrative that you can share. His passion, sometimes new converts are more passionate than older converts. His excitement that he’s bringing and bringing out the grassroots, the grassroots want a fresh face.
In contrast, lame-duck Speaker Paul Ryan endorsed Nicholson’s main primary opponent, Wisconsin state Sen. Leah Vukmir.
“He would be on speed dial with a person like Mike Lee. That’s who I am looking for,” Brandon added.
In a similar fashion to both Morrisey and Rosendale, Nicholson has run a national campaign, slamming Sen. Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) for pushing “catch and release” open border policies.
We must stop illegal immigration by securing our southern border,” the former Marine said in June.
In an interview with Breitbart News Sunday, Nicholson said, “We need an economically sustainable sensible plan that shuts down illegal immigration and has a merit-based sensible immigration policy … and that’s what we should be pushing for.
“[On] the construction of a physical barrier, I’m a former combat engineer in the Marine Corps, and barriers work. They do stop people from crossing them, and that is the entire idea behind them,” Nicholson added.
Brandon said that voters back conservatives such as Jordan, Rosendale, and Nicholson because of their authenticity.
The FreedomWorks president said, “Your currency in politics these days is authenticity, so if you say one thing or behave in another way it’s going to come back to you.”
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