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Republican Main Street Partnership

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"Main Street Partnership" redirects here. For a similar term, see Main Street Republicans.
Republican Main Street Partnership
Company type501(c)(4)[1]
FoundedMay 1994; 30 years ago (1994-05)[citation needed]
HeadquartersWashington, D.C., U.S.
Key people
Sarah Chamberlain[2] (President, CEO)
RevenueUS$1.8 million[1] (2022)
US$416.7 thousand[1] (2022)
Websiterepublicanmainstreet.org
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The Republican Main Street Partnership is a nonprofit organization that raises funds to support politicians in the moderate wing of the Republican Party.[3] The Republican Main Street Partnership (the "Partnership") does not advocate for legislation but offers networking and mentorship opportunities and provides a forum for discussion. The Partnership is affiliated with a super PAC called Defending Main Street.[4] The Partnership is also affiliated with the Republican Main Street Caucus, a Republican congressional member organization that takes pragmatic conservative positions.[citation needed]

History

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Formation and activity

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Rep. Amo Houghton of New York was the founder and chairman emeritus of the Republican Main Street Partnership.[2]

The Partnership was formed following the 1994 United States House of Representatives elections in which conservative Republicans were swept into power. An informal discussion group formed by representatives Nancy Johnson, Steve Gunderson and Fred Upton later became an organized bloc intent on representing the moderate wing of the Republican Party. The Partnership has described itself as a "broad alliance of conservative, governing Republicans".[2][better source needed]

In 2004, the Republican Main Street Partnership proposed changes that would have moved the Republican Party's platform regarding abortion and stem-cell research in a moderate direction.[5]

Members of Congress affiliated with the Partnership have been challenged in Republican primaries by members from the Club for Growth, FreedomWorks and the Tea Party movement, among others.[6][better source needed] The Partnership had a notably adversarial relationship with the fiscally conservative Club for Growth. In 2011, however, the director of the Partnership stated that the two groups had "'come to an understanding'".[7]

The Partnership is affiliated with a super PAC called Defending Main Street.[4]

Republican Main Street Caucus

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In September 2017, the Republican Main Street Caucus was formed with Pat Tiberi (OH–12) as chair.[8] The Caucus is a Republican congressional member organization that takes pragmatic conservative positions.[citation needed] Upon its formation, the Caucus stated that it would prioritize "'strong, conservative principles related to economic and national security policy'". Tiberi added, "'We are focused on getting things done and delivering real results to the American people'".[8] After Tiberi's resignation from the House in 2018, Rodney Davis (IL–13) took over duties as chair.[9]

Dissolution of the Republican Main Street Caucus

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In the 2018 United States House of Representatives elections, the Democratic Party won a majority of the seats in the House of Representatives. The Democrats gained a net total of 41 seats. This total was their largest gain of House seats in an election since the 1974 elections.[3]

On November 28, 2018, the Republican Main Street Caucus met with the Republican Main Street Partnership to ask why the Partnership's super PAC had left $722,000 of its funds unspent. The Partnership's chief executive officer, Sarah Chamberlain, said that $6 million had been spent on 2018 campaigns and that the remaining $722,000 was set aside for 2020. Members of the Caucus expressed concern that Chamberlain's compensation was 20 percent of the Partnership's operating expenses.[3] The following month, the Caucus voted unanimously to suspend political activity with the Partnership until an independent audit of the Partnership's governance could be conducted. The Partnership declined to be audited.[3] An NPR story about the turmoil involving the Partnership led to litigation.[4]

The members of the Caucus voted to dissolve the Caucus in February 2019.[3]

Re-formation of the Republican Main Street Caucus

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By 2021, the Republican Main Street Caucus has re-formed.[4] As of 2023, it had once again become one of the major Republican caucuses in the House of Representatives. The Caucus identifies itself as a group of pragmatic conservatives. It is affiliated with the Republican Main Street Partnership.[citation needed] The Caucus has also been described as "centrist"[10] and "mainstream".[11]

Affiliated members of Congress

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Republican Main Street Partnership Group in the 118th United States Congress

As of June 2024, the Partnership listed five U.S. senators and 73 U.S. representatives as being affiliated with it.[12]

U.S. Senators

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U.S. Representatives

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Former members

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Representatives

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See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b c "Republican Main Street Partnership, Full Filing - Nonprofit Explorer". 2022-12-31.
  2. ^ a b c "Who We Are". RMSP. Retrieved January 19, 2024.
  3. ^ a b c d e Davis, Susan. "Meltdown On Main Street: Inside The Breakdown Of The GOP's Moderate Wing". NPR. Retrieved July 10, 2020.
  4. ^ a b c d Jackson, Herb (June 24, 2021). "'Main Street' GOP group revamps, sets high fundraising goal". Roll Call.
  5. ^ Kirkpatrick, David D. (25 August 2004). "The 2004 Campaign: The Republican Agenda – Draft G.O.P. Platform Backs Bush on Security, Gay Marriage and Immigration". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 9 January 2020.
  6. ^ "Club for Growth". Club for Growth. Retrieved February 23, 2016.
  7. ^ Halloran, Liz (16 June 2011). "Republican Group Targets Its Own Party". NPR. Retrieved February 23, 2016.
  8. ^ a b Eaton, Sabrina (September 8, 2017). "Republican Main Street Partnership forms new Capitol Hill caucus with Ohio ties". cleveland.com.
  9. ^ Wong, Scott (November 9, 2017). "Is there room for another GOP caucus? Main Street chairman says yes". The Hill.
  10. ^ Pengelly, Martin; Greve, Joan E. (October 4, 2023). "Republicans Jim Jordan and Steve Scalise launch House speakership bids". The Guardian.
  11. ^ "Scalise's potentially fatal mistake". washingtonpost.com. October 12, 2023.
  12. ^ "RMSP Congressional Members". RMSP. Retrieved June 17, 2024.
  13. ^ Vas, Nicole (November 9, 2017). "Is there room for another GOP caucus? Main Street chairman says yes". The Hill. Retrieved November 20, 2020.
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