Warren Davidson was sworn in Thursday to fill the seat vacated last fall by John Boehner — and he’s joining the group of House conservatives who effectively forced out the former speaker.
Davidson is the newest member of the House of Representatives; he’s also the newest member of the House Freedom Caucus, a collection of some 40 conservatives who have made life miserable for GOP leadership these last five years. Members voted Wednesday night to approve Davidson’s admission.
Davidson, who bested 14 opponents in March’s GOP primary, easily won Tuesday’s special election in Ohio’s 8th congressional district. It was a low-turnout affair in the deep-red district, and Davidson won 77 percent of the vote.
As it happens, Representative Dave Brat, who in 2014 shocked the political world by winning a quixotic primary bid against then-Majority Leader Eric Cantor, is also a Freedom Caucus member.
The group’s current chairman, Ohio Representative Jim Jordan — who frequently led the intra-party opposition to Boehner’s agenda in Congress – endorsed Davidson and campaigned on his behalf.