Weigel

The Republicans Who Voted Against the Ryan Budget Won’t Be on the Budget Committee Next Year

RedState had the news first, I think. Rep. Tim Huelskamp of Kansas and Rep. Justin Amash of Michigan, both elected in 2010 and both becoming popular among conservatives, were on the Budget committee this past year. They won’t be on the committee next year, after the House steering committee has reshuffled assignments. They won’t be on any “A” (powerful) committees, actually. This might have something to do with why.

The House Budget Committee approved Chairman Paul Ryan’s 2013 budget resolution on Wednesday night in a close 19-18 vote.

Two conservative Republicans voted against the Ryan plan, which cuts spending by $5.3 trillion over 10 years, because they said it did not cut the budget fast enough. Reps. Justin Amash (R-Mich.) and Tim Huelskamp (R-Kan.) voted “no.”

The rightosphere is assuming the worst: A purge of non-RINOs. All I could get in response, from a Republican leadership aide, was this: “Changes are made for a variety of reasons, most often at the request of committee chairs.”