Where Do House Republicans Stand on Immigration Principles? (Updated Whip Count)
Updated: Mar. 13, 4:10 p.m. | Where do House Republicans stand on the set of immigration principles released by GOP leadership in January? Journalists at CQ Roll Call spent two weeks asking each House Republican’s office and combing through their public statements to answer that simple question. We have recorded the answers, which suggest weak support within Speaker John A. Boehner’s conference for overhauling the nation’s immigration system.
The initial CQ Roll Call tally found 19 Republicans backing the principles, two who said “possibly yes,” 30 Republicans openly opposed, 22 who refused to say and 25 who were undecided. Three others had nuanced responses. The other 131 did not respond to calls or emails from our team. Matt Fuller broke down the categories in this original story.
(Check out our Tuesday story detailing the new breakdown: 19 House Republicans say they support the principles, two Republicans could possibly support them. There are 34 Republicans in the “no” category. Three have qualified their answers. The tally stands at 26 Republicans either undecided or with no position yet and 21 who have declined to comment. And 127 have not responded to our queries made over a two-week period.)
We expect this will continue to be an evolving document over time, as the House decides whether it will move forward with legislation.
Have an update to this list? Please email mattfuller-at-rollcall.com.
YES
Mark Amodei, Nev.
John A. Boehner, Ohio
Ken Calvert, Calif.
Eric Cantor, Va.
Jeff Denham, Calif.
Charlie Dent, Pa.
Mario Diaz-Balart, Fla.
Renee Ellmers, N.C.
Joe Heck, Nev. (Asked to be moved 2/25 after initially not responding. His office told us he “supports immigration reform and an earned pathway to citizenship.”)
Peter T. King, N.Y.
Kevin McCarthy, Calif.
Michael McCaul, Texas
Howard “Buck” McKeon, Calif.
Cathy McMorris Rodgers, Wash.
Paul D. Ryan, Wis.
Glenn Thompson, Pa.
Marlin Stutzman, Ind.
David Valadao, Calif.
POSSIBLY YES
Steve Pearce, N.M. (He “thinks it’s a good start. Doesn’t support 100 percent and has long recommend other principles as a way forward.”)
Dave Reichert, Wash.
NO
Michele Bachmann, Minn.
Lou Barletta, Pa.
Andy Barr, Ky.
Jim Bridenstine, Okla.
Mo Brooks, Ala.
Paul Broun, Ga.
Bradley Byrne, Ala.
Michael C. Burgess, Texas
Tom Cotton, Ark. (“Opposes amnesty”)
Rick Crawford, Ark.
Ron DeSantis, Fla. (Asked 2/25 to be moved from “Yes” to “No”)
Scott DesJarlais, Tenn.
Jeff Duncan, S.C.
John Fleming, La.
Cory Gardner, Colo.
Phil Gingrey, Ga.
Louie Gohmert, Texas
Tom Graves, Ga.
Tim Griffin, Ark.
Ralph M. Hall, Texas
Jeb Hensarling, Texas
George Holding, N.C.
Walter B. Jones, N.C.
Steve King, Iowa
Jack Kingston, Ga. (Moved 2/25 at request of his office from “Declined to comment” to “No”)
Tom McClintock, Calif.
Tom Price, Ga.
Tom Rice, S.C.
Dana Rohrabacher, Calif.
Steve Scalise, La.
John Shimkus, Ill. (Moved 2/25. His office told us he “does not support amnesty or citizenship for those who broke the law. . . . believes we should address the issues of border security and streamlining of agriculture and technology worker visas before discussing any legal status for illegal immigrants.”)
Lamar Smith, Texas (Asked 2/25 to be moved from “Did not respond” to “No”)
Steve Stockman, Texas
Randy Weber, Texas
“WORK IN PROGRESS”
Robert W. Goodlatte, Va.
“IN PART”
Doug LaMalfa, Calif.
NOT RIGHT TIME
Raúl R. Labrador, Idaho
UNDECIDED/NO POSITION YET
Larry Bucshon, Ind.
Kevin Cramer, N.D.
Rodney Davis, Ill.
Kay Granger, Texas
Vicky Hartzler, Mo.
Tim Huelskamp, Kan.
Duncan Hunter, Calif.
Doug Lamborn, Colo.
Blaine Luetkemeyer, Mo.
Thomas Massie, Ky.
Luke Messer, Ind. (Moved 2/25 from “Declined to comment” to “Undecided” because his office says he is still reviewing the principles.)
John L. Mica, Fla.
Randy Neugebauer, Texas
Kristi Noem, S.D.
Robert Pittenger, N.C. (Moved 2/26 from “Possibly yes” to “undecided” at request of his office. He initially had told us any plan “Must focus on border security first.”)
Tom Petri, Wis. (Added 2/25, was left off the list in error)
Martha Roby, Ala.
Harold Rogers, Ky.
Pete Sessions, Texas
Aaron Schock, Ill.
Christopher H. Smith, N.J.
Lee Terry, Neb. (Added 2/25, was left off list in error. His office said he hasn’t seen the plan but that “any plan must have border security and e-verify components.”)
Pat Tiberi, Ohio
Lynn Westmoreland, Ga.
Rob Wittman, Va.
Steve Womack, Ark.
Don Young, Alaska
DECLINED TO COMMENT
John Carter, Texas
Howard Coble, N.C.
Doug Collins, Ga.
Steve Daines, Mont.
John J. Duncan Jr., Tenn.
Paul Gosar, Ariz.
Gregg Harper, Miss.
Doc Hastings, Wash.
Mark Meadows, N.C.
Devin Nunes, Calif.
Phil Roe, Tenn.
Mike Rogers, Mich.
Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, Fla.
Peter Roskam, Ill.
Dennis A. Ross, Fla.
Keith Rothfus, Pa.
Matt Salmon, Ariz.
Mike Simpson, Idaho
Frank R. Wolf, Va.
Rob Woodall, Ga.
Todd Young, Ind.
DID NOT RESPOND
Robert B. Aderholt, Ala.
Justin Amash, Mich.
Spencer Bachus, Ala.
Joe L. Barton, Texas
Dan Benishek, Mich.
Kerry Bentivolio, Mich.
Jaime Herrera Beutler, Wash.
Gus Bilirakis, Fla.
Rob Bishop, Utah
Diane Black, Tenn.
Marsha Blackburn, Tenn.
Charles Boustany Jr., La.
Kevin Brady, Texas
Susan W. Brooks, Ind.
Vern Buchanan, Fla.
Dave Camp, Mich.
John Campbell, Calif.
Bill Cassidy, La.
Steve Chabot, Ohio
Jason Chaffetz, Utah
Mike Coffman, Colo.
Tom Cole, Okla.
Chris Collins, N.Y.
K. Michael Conaway, Texas
Paul Cook, Calif.
Ander Crenshaw, Fla.
John Culberson, Texas
Sean P. Duffy, Wis.
Blake Farenthold, Texas
Stephen Fincher, Tenn.
Michael G. Fitzpatrick, Pa.
Chuck Fleischmann, Tenn.
Bill Flores, Texas
J. Randy Forbes, Va.
Jeff Fortenberry, Neb.
Virginia Foxx, N.C.
Trent Franks, Ariz.
Rodney Frelinghuysen, N.J.
Scott Garrett, N.J.
Jim Gerlach, Pa.
Bob Gibbs, Ohio
Chris Gibson, N.Y.
Trey Gowdy, S.C.
Sam Graves, Mo.
Morgan Griffith, Va.
Michael G. Grimm, N.Y.
Brett Guthrie, Ky.
Richard Hanna, N.Y.
Andy Harris, Md.
Richard Hudson, N.C.
Bill Huizenga, Mich.
Randy Hultgren, Ill.
Robert Hurt, Va.
Darrell Issa, Calif.
Lynn Jenkins, Kan.
Bill Johnson, Ohio
Sam Johnson, Texas
Jim Jordan, Ohio
David Joyce, Ohio
Mike Kelly, Pa.
Adam Kinzinger, Ill.
John Kline, Minn.
Leonard Lance, N.J.
James Lankford, Okla.
Tom Latham, Iowa
Bob Latta, Ohio
Frank A. LoBiondo, N.J.
Billy Long, Mo.
Frank D. Lucas, Okla.
Cynthia M. Lummis, Wyo.
Tom Marino, Pa.
Vance McAllister, La.
Kenny Marchant, Texas
Patrick T. McHenry, N.C.
David B. McKinley, W.Va.
Patrick Meehan, Pa.
Candice S. Miller, Mich.
Gary G. Miller, Calif.
Jeff Miller, Fla.
Shelley Moore Capito, W.Va.
Markwayne Mullin, Okla.
Mick Mulvaney, S.C.
Tim Murphy, Pa.
Rich Nugent, Fla.
Alan Nunnelee, Miss.
Pete Olson, Texas
Steven M. Palazzo, Miss.
Erik Paulsen, Minn.
Scott Perry, Pa.
Joe Pitts, Pa.
Ted Poe, Texas
Mike Pompeo, Kan. (Added 2/25, was left off list in error)
Bill Posey, Fla.
Tom Reed, N.Y.
James B. Renacci, Ohio
Reid Ribble, Wis.
Scott Rigell, Va.
Mike D. Rogers, Ala.
Todd Rokita, Ind.
Tom Rooney, Fla.
Ed Royce, Calif.
Jon Runyan, N.J.
Mark Sanford, S.C.
David Schweikert, Ariz.
Austin Scott, Ga.
Jim Sensenbrenner, Wis.
Bill Shuster, Pa.
Adrian Smith, Neb.
Jason Smith, Mo.
Steve Southerland II, Fla.
Chris Stewart, Utah
Steve Stivers, Ohio
Mac Thornberry, Texas
Scott Tipton, Colo.
Michael R. Turner, Ohio
Fred Upton, Mich.
Daniel Webster, Fla.
Ann Wagner, Mo.
Greg Walden, Ore.
Jackie Walorski, Ind.
Edward Whitfield, Ky.
Tim Walberg, Mich.
Brad Wenstrup, Ohio
Roger Williams, Texas
Joe Wilson, S.C.
Kevin Yoder, Kan.
Ted Yoho, Fla.
The tally was conducted by Fuller and CQ Roll Call staffers Abby Livingston, Alex Lazar, Christina Bellantoni, Chris Nehls, David Michaels, Daniel Newhauser, Emma Dumain, Eric Naing, Hannah Hess, Jay Hunter, Katey McGettrick, Nell Benton, Steven T. Dennis and Warren Rojas. This post was done with assistance from intern Bridget Bowman. Read Matt Fuller’s story here.
Editor’s note: This post was corrected to reflect that the principles were released on Jan. 30 and edited because John Carter and Randy Hultgren were each listed twice. We have indicated further changes made to the list in parenthesis with the date. We also added Abby Livingston’s name to the list of CQ Roll Call staffers who made phone calls. On Mar. 13, we clarified that CQ Roll Call mistakenly placed Steve Pearce on the “yes” list in our initial version of the post.