GOP Civil War: MAGA Firebrand Announces Bold Decision, Slams Colleagues
MAGA Firebrand Anna Paulina Luna Quits Freedom Caucus, Slams GOP Colleagues After ‘Shattered’ Mutual Respect
Rep. Anna Paulina Luna (R-FL) announced her resignation from the influential House Freedom Caucus on Monday, accusing fellow conservatives of undermining her efforts to secure voting accommodations for new parents in Congress.
Luna’s departure centers on an increasingly bitter fight over a proposal she championed that would allow new mothers and fathers serving in the House to vote remotely for 12 weeks following the birth of a child.
The controversial measure has pitted traditional conservatives who view in-person voting as constitutionally sacrosanct against those seeking to modernize congressional workplace policies.
“I have consistently supported each of you, even in moments of disagreement, honoring the mutual respect that has guided our caucus,” Luna wrote in her resignation letter. “That respect, however, was shattered last week.”
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The breaking point came earlier this month during a parliamentary showdown when a group of House conservatives temporarily blocked chamber-wide votes on unrelated legislation to pressure GOP leadership into killing Luna’s initiative, Fox News reported.
Luna alleges these members “threatened the Speaker, vowing to halt floor proceedings indefinitely – regardless of the legislation at stake, including President Trump’s agenda – unless he altered the rules to block my discharge petition.”
Luna’s procedural strategy had involved partnering with Democrats and several fellow Republicans to advance her proposal through what’s known as a “discharge petition” – a rarely successful parliamentary maneuver that allows lawmakers to force bills onto the House floor despite opposition from leadership if the petition secures signatures from a majority of the chamber.
“Acting within the House conference rules – rules we all agreed to – I sought to bring a vote to the floor on a measure that would allow new mothers in Congress (fewer than 14 in our nation’s history) and fathers, if they choose, to vote by proxy,” Luna explained. “This was a modest, family-centered proposal.”
I’ve approached this entire process with honesty and integrity, doing things the right way. Unfortunately, some members of the House Freedom Caucus have threatened to shut down the floor if the Speaker allows my proxy vote discharge petition to be considered. As a result, it’s… https://t.co/j70Au5Gi6w
— Rep. Anna Paulina Luna (@RepLuna) March 28, 2025
Fox noted that Speaker Mike Johnson has publicly aligned himself with Luna’s opponents, expressing skepticism about her proposal during remarks following Tuesday’s closed-door Republican conference meeting.
“We addressed this in conference this morning. A couple of our, a handful of our colleagues, have gotten behind the effort, and, look, I’m a father. I’m pro-family,” the speaker acknowledged, before adding: “Here’s the problem. If you create a proxy vote opportunity just for young parents, mothers and, the fathers in those situations, then where is the limiting principle?”
This “slippery slope” argument has been echoed by other Freedom Caucus members, including Rep. Chip Roy (R-TX), who warned on social media that Luna’s “unconstitutional” rule would inevitably expand beyond its original intent.
“This rule would ultimately NOT be limited to moms. Cancer patients, dads, & worst of all, people who lazily abuse it (eg, voting from boats),” Roy wrote on X. “She leaves out her discharge allows no amendments! We should show up to work/vote.”
Respectfully to my friend – this (unconstitutional) rule would ultimately NOT be limited to moms. Cancer patients, dads, & worst of all, people who lazily abuse it (eg, voting from boats). She leaves out her discharge allows no amendments! We should show up to work/vote. https://t.co/PAk7684Rf5
— Chip Roy (@chiproytx) March 28, 2025
Luna’s decision to leave the Freedom Caucus marks a significant moment for the influential conservative bloc, which typically maintains strong internal discipline. While praising Freedom Caucus Chairman Andy Harris for his “gentlemanly” conduct throughout the dispute, Luna didn’t hold back in criticizing other members.
“I cannot remain part of a caucus where a select few operate outside its guidelines, misuse its name, broker backroom deals that undermine its core values and where the lines of compromise and transaction are blurred, disparage me to the press, and encourage misrepresentation of me to the American people,” she declared.
Luna becomes the first member to voluntarily exit the Freedom Caucus during the current 119th Congress, per Fox.
Previous departures included Reps. Warren Davidson (R-OH) and Randy Weber (R-TX), who were reportedly pushed out, and Rep. Troy Nehls (R-TX), who left during an earlier reorganization.
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