Chamber of Commerce president Thomas Donohue told business leaders that the organization was prepared to spend up to $100 million to help Republicans keep their House and Senate majorities.  But he also indicated that the CoC would oppose Tea Party supporters in the House, like members of the House Freedom Caucus.

CSM:

Donohue made clear that part of the Chamber’s election efforts will be aimed at countering the influence of hard-line legislators like members of the House Freedom Caucus, who have not supported the Chamber’s legislative agenda. That agenda includes immigration reform, reauthorizing the Export-Import Bank, and finding a consistent funding source for spending on highways.

“When the tea party was first formed and they had four or five principles of sound economics, reasonable taxation … I mean who can be opposed to that?” Donohue said. “But it has gone far beyond that to the point that it has lost sight of what the fundamental reality is, and that is to govern in a way to create economic growth and to create jobs.”

Those on the other side of the debate see their battle with the Chamber as part of “the conflict between free markets and cronyism.” That is how David Boaz, executive vice president of the libertarian Cato Institute framed the issue in a recent opinion piece in the Washington Times. He added that “the long conflict between pro-market and pro-business forces may lead to some divisive Republican primaries this year.” 

Only some tea partyers will be vulnerable in primaries in the 2016 election, says Bruce Josten, the Chamber’s executive vice president for government affairs, who also spoke at the breakfast. “Some of the tea party members … I would have to say are fairly entrenched. There is not going to be a viable challenger that is going to succeed against them.  We are not going to put good money after a bad outcome.”

Donohue lamented the absence of moderates from both parties. “That hole in the middle is getting bigger as more and more people get very conservative and more people get very liberal,” he said. “We hope to fill that hole with the American people who need the government to act on [their] behalf.”

The Chamber is defeating the purpose of its support for Republicans by trying to unseat some GOP congressmen who don't vote they way the Chamber tells them to.  Better to spend that money trying to save some vulnerable Republican senators than going on a quixotic quest to put "moderates" in the House.

Indeed, there are very few "moderates" left in either party – just politicians who are less ideologically extreme than others.  It is what it is, and the Chamber isn't going to change it with $100 million or 5 times that much.  Meanwhile, some Republicans may go down to defeat because the Chamber is wasting its money trying to bring Republicans to heel in order to do their bidding.

Nobody ever said that knowing how to make money translates into political acumen.  It's an adage the Chamber is proving with this stupid move.