Heath Haussamen / NMPolitics.net
U.S. Rep. Steve Pearce, R-N.M.
U.S. Rep. Steve Pearce is no longer part of the GOP whip team after he sided with Democrats on a trade bill last week.
The Albuquerque Journal has the story, reporting that Pearce, “widely viewed as one of the most conservative members of the House,” was in “the rare position of voting with Democrats on major legislation” when he opposed the trade bill last week.
Pearce, Southern New Mexico’s representative, was quoted by the Journal as saying he “strongly” supports free-trade agreements but doesn’t believe the fast-track legislation “provided the guarantees needed.”
“The (bill) missed significant principles that need to be included … like competitive currency standards, fair trading practices, and including the opinion of the American people,” he said.
Technically, Pearce and two others were removed from the whip team for voting against GOP leadership on a procedural vote leading up to the actual vote on the legislation. As The Hill explained, Majority Whip Steve Scalise’s decision to boot the three from his team “was based on longstanding whip team rules that stated members must ‘vote as a team on procedural matters’ but are free to vote against leadership on underlying legislation.” That’s according to “a source close to the whip team,” The Hill reported.
After the vote last week, House Speaker John Boehner said Republicans “are a team” and have “worked hard to stay in the majority,” according to the Journal.
“And I expect our team to act like a team, and frankly, I made it pretty clear I wasn’t very happy,” Boehner said.
The National Journal quoted Pearce about being removed from leadership as saying, “not much has changed in the House.”
“I came here to represent the people of the 2nd Congressional District of New Mexico. That means considering each vote on its merits and striving to do the right thing for them,” Pearce was quoted as saying. “Sometimes that demands casting hard votes, as I did last week. I always strive to vote on principle and that won’t change.”
The legislation has created unusual alliances — House Republican leaders and the president on one side, and on the other some Republicans including Pearce and most Democrats — including New Mexico’s Michelle Lujan Grisham and Ben Ray Lujan.
This article has been updated to clarify that Pearce was removed from leadership for the procedural vote before the actual vote on the legislation.