PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — Less than one month after losing the majority in the Pennsylvania House of Representatives, a far-right bloc of Republicans is forming the Pennsylvania Freedom Caucus, modeled after similar caucuses in the U.S. House of Representatives and a handful of other states.
They are banding together to protect what they see as true conservative values.
Pennsylvania is the eighth state to form a freedom caucus, according to State Freedom Caucus Network President Andy Roth.
“Pennsylvania is a great state for us to launch something where we can literally fight for our freedoms and for limited government every single day,” said Roth.
U.S. Rep. Scott Perry, R-Cumberland, Dauphin and York counties, was also on hand for the announcement. Perry, a member of the House Freedom Caucus, is a target of the Jan. 6 committee for his efforts to overturn the 2020 presidential election.
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“People don't vote for Republicans to come to their state capitol and work out deals in the back room with leftist Democrats,” said Perry.
“What you're going to see now is a bloc of representatives who are now going to be able to get together and — quite honestly — stand against the pressures of Harrisburg and leadership and do what they said they're going to do.”
Rep. Dawn Keefer, R-York County, will lead the Freedom Caucus in the Pennsylvania House.
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“We plan to protect Pennsylvanians from that overreach of government. So standing in the gap, making sure that government is working for the people, not the other way around,” said Keefer.
“It's by invitation only," she added. "As members come into this organization, we have the support. We have a defined, clear ideological stand that we're taking.”
Keefer said names of the caucus members will not be made public.
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Republicans lost the majority in the State House for the first time in 12 years, but three reliably Democratic seats require special elections.
“We will be in the majority until their special elections at minimum, so we're not in the minority yet,” said Keefer. “We have, for sure, the next five months or so in the majority, and we plan to work diligently.”