Three Republican senators received 100 percent ratings from the conservative Club for Growth for their voting records on fiscal issues last year.
Sens. Rand Paul of Kentucky and Mike Lee of Utah were recognized by the watchdog group in its annual congressional scorecard.
Sen. Jim DeMint of South Carolina, who quit the Senate in December to head the Heritage Foundation, also received the top rating, Club for Growth said on Wednesday.
“In a time when many Americans are feeling discouraged and wondering if there is hope, I am happy to report that there is hope,” said Chris Chocola, Club for Growth’s president. “There is hope because there are good men and women in Congress who are leading the fight for our economic freedom.”
Club for Growth said 31 members of the House of Representatives also earned scores of 90 percent or better because of their voting records last year.
In addition, six GOP senators will receive the club’s “Defender of Economic Freedom” award.
Besides, DeMint, Paul and Lee, the others are Pat Toomey of Pennsylvania, Marco Rubio of Florida, and Ron Johnson of Wisconsin.
Two other senators — Jeff Flake of Arizona and Tim Scott, who was appointed to replace DeMint — will receive the honor based on their House votes, the group said.
“Our economic conservative ranks are growing. And not only are more members of Congress voting like true fiscal conservatives but some of the loudest and most influential voices in the Republican Party are among them,” Chocola said, referring to the “Defender” award recipients.
“But make no mistake, there is still much work to be done,” he cautioned. “Many in the Republican Party have strayed from the economic conservative values on which they ran.
“Liberals are selling false promises. And somebody has to hold them accountable for the decisions they are making that not only directly impact you and me — but will impact the lives of our children and our children’s children,” he said.
“Unfortunately we are four years away from a new president and almost two years from a new Congress,” Chocola added. “We are not going to defeat the liberal policies that have brought our nation to the brink of economic ruin and set our nation toward a path of economic recovery in one sweeping motion.
“We are going to have to fight smart and be meticulous.”
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