After years of growing faults along policy and cultural lines, part of the Republican Party seems to be parting ways with its longtime ally — the U.S. Chamber of Commerce.
The leading national lobbying organization for big business is finding its influence with more populist Republicans on Capitol Hill endangered by its positions on unlawful migration and trade and the perception that large companies are siding with liberals and progressives on divisive social issues, according to The Wall Street Journal.
Policy goals like drastically restricting immigration and instituting more protectionist trade policies are at odds with the interests of many organization member companies.
The recent trend of big corporations taking high-profile “woke” actions — like Target marketing a Pride clothing line and Bud Light partnering with a transgender social influencer to sell beer — has exacerbated the rift between some Republicans and the business community. As the most visible lobbying arm for multi-billion dollar companies, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce has consequently become a target of conservative blowback.
In 2020, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce endorsed 30 Democrats in House races in a presidential election year in which the Republican president was defeated and Democrats kept control of the House.
Many large companies suspended campaign donations to Republican candidates after the protests at the U.S. Capitol on January 6, 2021. The relationship between the historical allies hit a new low when House Republican leaders Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) and Steve Scalise (R-LA) refused meetings with the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, reported CNBC.
In a meeting last year, Danny Seiden, head of the Arizona Chamber of Commerce, suggested the U.S. Chamber of Commerce needed to figure out its branding and core mission, or it could be left without an advocate in Congress, per the WSJ.
State affiliates of the organization in Texas and Arizona have taken the initiative to directly lobby Republican House members on various issues, including border security, immigration, trade, and regulation.
Neil Bradley, executive vice president of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, insisted to the WSJ that the organization and McCarthy are “in alignment” on issues “80%-90% of the time.”
For instance, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce claimed credit for helping to get some Republican priorities included in the debt ceiling bill, like enacting work requirements for government assistance programs and greenlighting more traditional energy projects.
However, in a sign of just how deep the divide could be, Rep. Tom Emmer (R-MN) commented on the U.S. Chamber of Commerce’s claims.
“[B]ulls—, it’s amazing if they believe this,” said Emmer, WSJ reported.
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