Freshmen Republicans Balance Conflicting Views

Freshmen Republicans in swing districts have to juggle a number of conflicting views when they go back home, Politico reports. Some conservative constituents insist they support House Budget Committee Chairman Paul Ryan’s budget to the letter. Democratic constituents, of course, generally back tax hikes.

And while just about every voter says he/she supports strong budget cuts, hardly anyone wants to see any benefits he/she receives, such as Medicare, trimmed a bit.

Larry Ceisler, a Democratic strategist in Pennsylvania, says the Democratic-controlled Senate in some ways makes things easier for Republicans in the House. That’s because they can vote along a strict conservative line, knowing that much of what they vote for will die in the Senate.

“If I’m Joe Congressman from Pennsylvania, I can tell my tea party right wing I voted for them, but Democrats in the Senate wouldn’t get it through.”