Conservative grassroots advocacy organization Heritage Action for America has released their latest Congressional “scorecard” that ranks the conservative voting records of members of Congress. According to the Heritage Action website, “The Heritage Action Scorecard measures votes, co-sponsorships, and other legislative activity to show how conservative Members of Congress are.”
Overall, 26 members of the House or Senate received perfect scores from Heritage Action, including Alabama’s 5th Congressional District Representative, Mo Brooks. 113 members of congress — 112 Democrats and 1 Independent — received a score of 0%.
In the U.S. House, the average scores are 75% for Republicans and 6% for Democrats. On the Senate side the averages are 69% for Republicans and 5% for Democrats. The average score for Republicans in the Alabama delegation is 72.25%. Terri Sewell, Alabama’s lone Democrat, scored 17%.
Heritage Action is the sister organization of The Heritage Foundation, one of the country’s preeminent conservative think tanks. “We take the conservative policy visions outlined by our sister organization…and make them a reality,” Heritage Action says on their website. The Heritage Foundation boasts over 700,000 members nationally.
A former staffer for Governor Bentley, Elizabeth BeShears is now a regional coordinator for Heritage Action. “The Alabama delegation has an excellent opportunity to improve their scores, and the state of the country, in the upcoming weeks by voting against the food stamp and farm bill, and the Gang of Eight’s amnesty bill,” BeShears told Yellowhammer Friday evening.
The scores for Alabama’s Congressmen and Senators are below, along with a few other notable members of Congress.
What do you think? Are the scores accurate? Any surprises?
Alabama’s delegation:
Rep. Mo Brooks — 100%
Rep. Robert Aderholt — 82%
Rep. Mike Rogers — 77%
Sen. Jeff Sessions — 74%
Rep. Martha Roby — 69%
Rep. Jo Bonner — 67%
Sen. Richard Shelby — 63%
Rep. Spencer Bachus — 46%
Rep. Terri Sewell — 17%
Other notable members:
Sen. Rand Paul — 100%
Sen. Ted Cruz — 100%
Sen. Marco Rubio — 95%
Sen. Tim Scott — 95%
Rep. Eric Cantor — 69%
Rep. Paul Ryan — 62%
Rep. Jim Cooper of Tennesee — 33% (highest ranked Democrat)
Rep. Chris Gibson of New York — 23% (lowest ranked Republican)
Rep. Nancy Pelosi — 8%
What else is going on?
1. Rogers to Obama Administration: Come Clean!
2. Will Mary Scott Hunter challenge Governor Bentley in GOP primary?
3. Shelby: the cyber threat is increasing, our adversaries grow bolder and more capable
4. Sessions: Can anyone explain how this immigration bill will help struggling Americans?
5. Republican Danny Garrett running to succeed Arthur Payne in Alabama House