MONTGOMERY, Ala. — Alabama Congresswoman Martha Roby (R-AL2) is facing Becky Gerritson, the leader of one of Alabama’s most active and effective conservative political advocacy groups in the GOP primary next Spring, but that doesn’t mean every Tea Party in the state will support the challenger.
The Alabama Patriots Tea Party, one of the oldest Tea Party groups in the state, announced its endorsement for Roby Monday, citing her record of supporting military families, as well as fighting to defund Planned Parenthood, and opposition to gun control.
“We believe that it is important to send Martha Roby back to Congress to represent us,” said Alabama Patriots leader Danny Joyner. “Our men and women in the Armed Forces deserve to have someone to fight for their health care, their rights and their dignity when they return from war and nobody has fought harder for our military veterans than Congressman Roby. From her fight to end corruption in the nation’s VA system to her visits to our soldiers serving in the Middle East, she has proven time and time again that she is a fighter for those who have sacrificed so much to fight for us.”
Joyner also emphasized Roby’s commitment to protecting constitutional rights as another reason the group decided to endorse the Congresswoman, who is in the midst of her third term.
“When President Obama tried to trample on the Second Amendment in 2013, Martha Roby stood strong and publicly opposed any and all attempts by the Administration to pass new gun control laws. When Planned Parenthood was caught selling aborted baby’s body parts, Martha Roby stood up and said enough is enough. That is the kind of proven conservative leadership that we need to represent us.”
The Alabama Patriots’ endorsement highlights a disparity between the marks Roby earns on some national conservative groups’ scorecards, and the perception of many constituents within her district that she is fighting for her region’s interests.
Some of the votes that have put Roby at odds with the Washington conservative watchdog groups are votes that likely play well with the Second District’s large military and farming communities, and it only takes a brief conversation with Team Roby to see that she’s planning to make her record the centerpiece of her campaign.
One Tea Party’s endorsement isn’t earth shattering, but the Roby campaign will undoubtedly use it to bolster her conservative credentials as she weathers a challenge from the right.
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— Elizabeth BeShears (@LizEBeesh) January 21, 2015
