During a Wednesday night conference call, multiple members of the far-right Freedom Caucus voiced deep reservations about Stefanik as the consensus choice for Republican conference chair -- even as they conceded she has the votes to succeed Cheney. A House member on the call told CNN the Freedom Caucus has concerns about Stefanik's moderate voting record and her uneven stance on a wide range of issues the group prioritizes, including immigration and LGBTQ rights.
Meanwhile conservative outside interest groups are also expressing trepidation about Stefanik's rise, especially since her record is less conservative than Cheney's. But even skeptics of Stefanik's conservative credentials say she's preferable to Cheney on the most important factor: her loyalty to former President Donald Trump...
"This train is headed down the tracks. The only way to stop it is to blow up the tracks and nobody seems to have the willpower or desire to do that at this point, so we're going to have to pray this doesn't turn out to be a mistake," the head of one prominent conservative advocacy group told CNN.
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