Texas GOP Congressman Dan Crenshaw’s scathing attack on the Congressional Freedom Caucus Wednesday raised eyebrows regarding an internal power struggle for control of the Republican Party, sending tremors through the upcoming 2022 midterm election where Republicans are widely favored to flip the balance of power.

Republican state lawmaker Taffy Howard, running a primary challenge to South Dakota Congressman Dusty Johnson, condemned the attack and says Crenshaw’s words highlight exactly why Johnson, Crenshaw and Wyoming’s Liz Cheney must be sent packing.

“Dusty Johnson not only brags about his support for Liz Cheney, he votes with Cheney and the Democrats on a regular basis,” Howard said.

“While Biden, Pelosi and the Democrats do their best to destroy the economy, trample the Constitution, abandon Americans in overseas war zones and kill the American dream, establishment hacks like Liz Cheney, Dan Crenshaw and Dusty Johnson are assisting in those policy failures. And instead of fighting the Democrat sabotage of our nation, these people are attacking Republicans instead,” Howard said.  “It’s a betrayal of principle.”

“It says everything about the people and ideas that Liz Cheney and Dusty 
Johnson prefer to see in power.”

Since his election in 2018, Dusty Johnson has openly refused to join the Freedom Caucus, a group of Republican lawmakers publicly pledged to oppose all tax increases, defend the 2nd Amendment and vote against any and all unconstitutional legislation. 

On Wednesday, Texas Congressman Dan Crenshaw issued an unsolicited attack against the group, casting Freedom Caucus members like Lauren Boebert of Colorado and Jim Jordan of Ohio as publicity hounds in search of media attention. Howard called the remarks equal parts jealousy and guilty conscience by Crenshaw.  

“What they all forget is that there wouldn’t even be a Freedom Caucus in 
Washington if Republicans would do their jobs,” Howard said.

“The only difference between the Freedom Caucus and the Republican Party is that the Freedom Caucus actually does all the things Republicans talk about during campaigns, but never actually accomplish. I will very proudly join them when I’m elected next November. And I’m going to keep every promise I make.”