9 Republicans with links to controversial Project 2025: From Josh Hawley to Ted Cruz

9 Republicans with links to Project 2025

The recent amplification of the far-right Heritage Foundation and its authoritarian Project 2025 policy playbook for the upcoming Republican administration has captured the attention of several prominent GOP figures. On Tuesday, July 23, an in-depth analysis by Democratic election attorney Marc Elias' Democracy Docket website explored the affiliations of nine high-ranking Republicans with Project 2025, revealing both direct and tangential connections. As Project 2025 and its propositions continue to attract media attention, these Republican lawmakers may face inquiries regarding their involvement with the contentious initiative while on the campaign trail. Notably, a recent poll indicated that only 10% of Americans hold a favorable view of Project 2025 after learning about it in detail.

1. Sen Ted Cruz (R-Texas)

Senator Ted Cruz, who is seeking reelection for a third term in the US Senate this November, previously addressed a Heritage Foundation event in 2019 following former President Donald Trump's initial impeachment. At the event, the Texan congressman complained about the House's decision to impeach Trump over his communication with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, during which Trump allegedly leveraged aid to Ukraine in exchange for an investigation into then-Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden and his son, Hunter. Cruz criticized House Democrats for impeaching Trump "without an article claiming a criminal violation." Cruz claimed, "There’s no federal statute that makes abuse-of-power — what they’ve called it — a criminal offense. They’ve just made this up."

2. Sen Josh Hawley (R-Missouri)

Senator Josh Hawley, who is seeking re-election for a second Senate term this fall, shares common objectives with one of the central aims of Project 2025 and has participated in various Heritage Foundation events. People Magazine described the document as "a blueprint for marrying church and state at the highest levels of government," which aligns with the objectives of Christian nationalists. Instead of distancing himself from this characterization, Sen Hawley openly embraced it at a recent conservative conference. “Some will say now that I am calling America a Christian Nation. So I am,” Hawley said. “And some will say that I am advocating Christian Nationalism. And so I do.”

3. Sen Rick Scott (R-Florida)

Florida's junior US senator is currently facing a tough battle for reelection against former Rep Debbie Mucarsel-Powell (D-Florida), who is inching closer to Scott in recent polls. Scott, who is vying to become the next Republican leader in the Senate once Sen Mitch McConnell (R-Kentucky) steps down from the role next year, took part in the Heritage Foundation's five-part video series on inflation and the economy. Senator Scott repeatedly criticized the Biden administration for rising prices, even though real wages (adjusted for inflation) have increased and the inflation rate has decreased significantly.

4. Rep Jim Banks (R-Indiana)

Democracy Docket stated that Rep Jim Banks, in his capacity as chairman of the Republican Study Committee, released a budget plan that was praised by Kevin Roberts, the president of the Heritage Foundation. The blueprint proposed allocating resources for the construction of a border wall, reallocating funds from multiple federal agencies to increase the military budget, and safeguarding Americans from what he described as "the Radical Woke Agenda." "The Republican Study Committee, led by my friends Chairman Jim Banks and the RSC Budget and Spending Task Force Chair Kevin Hern, have put forward an important Blueprint to Save America," Roberts said in a statement. "The RSC is going on offense, setting the tone for what conservatives must do when the people take back control."

5. Former Governor Larry Hogan (R-Maryland)

Maryland's previous two-term Republican governor is currently the Republican candidate for the state's vacant Senate seat. Despite being perceived as more moderate, Hogan appointed a senior fellow from the Heritage Foundation to a position in his administration in 2017. It is worth noting that Hogan has since distanced himself from Project 2025, stating in a Washington Post op-ed that it would lead the country down a "dangerous path."

6. Sen Deb Fischer (R-Nevada)

Senator Deb Fischer is also seeking reelection this fall. According to Democracy Docket, Fischer participated in a virtual session hosted by the Heritage Foundation in 2021 to discuss the "future of nuclear modernization." One of the proposals put forward by Project 2025 involves resuming nuclear weapons testing at Yucca Mountain in Nevada, which is located less than 100 miles from Las Vegas. The document also advocates for the re-depositing of radioactive waste at Yucca Mountain, a practice that was halted by former President Barack Obama in 2009. Nevada's Republican Governor Joe Lombardo, who has endorsed former President Donald Trump, opposes this proposal.

7. Governor Jim Justice (R-WV)

West Virginia's billionaire coal baron governor, who changed his party affiliation from Democrat to Republican in 2017, is expected to secure the US Senate seat left vacant by the outgoing Sen Joe Manchin (I-West Virginia). In 2021, Justice approved a bill that reallocates education funds from public schools to home schools and private school tuition. The Heritage Foundation praised the bill and acknowledged one of its experts for advocating for it in the West Virginia legislature. Project 2025 advocates for the complete removal of the Department of Education in favor of "parental authority," intending to promote policies that undermine public education while bolstering home school programs.

8. Sen Roger Wicker (R-Mississippi)

Mississippi's incumbent senior US senator, a leading Republican on the Senate Armed Services Committee, is seeking reelection for a fourth term this fall. Earlier this year, he took part in a discussion at the Heritage Foundation regarding "Restor[ing] America's Military Power." Project 2025 has advocated for repealing the Pentagon policy that covers travel expenses for female service members who need to travel out of their home state for an abortion. This is the same policy that Senator Tommy Tuberville (R-Alabama) opposed, leading to a prolonged hold on military promotions. Additionally, Project 2025 suggests reinstating the ban on transgender Americans serving in the military, as enforced during the Trump administration.

9. Rep David Schweikert (R-Arizona)

In the final year of Barack Obama's presidency, a regulation was implemented by his Department of Health and Human Services to safeguard LGBTQ+ youth in foster care. Project 2025 has advocated for the removal of this regulation, which DemocracyForward, an advocacy group, estimated could have an impact on more than 368,000 children. In 2020, Rep Schweikert took part in a virtual session hosted by the Heritage Foundation to discuss proposed alterations to the foster care system.