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# Battle-Tested Congressman Prepares for Another Fight with Party Hawks in 2016
- URL: https://ivn.us/battle-tested-congressman-prepares-another-fight-party-hawks-2016/
- Published: 2015-06-29T13:11:05.000Z
- Updated: 2026-06-22T19:50:20.000Z
- Author: Carl Wicklander
- Tags: News

Almost one year away from the 2016 primary, one North Carolina representative is already facing a primary challenge.

Since beginning his opposition to the Iraq war, U.S. Rep. [Walter Jones](https://ivn.us/search/walter+jones) of the 3rd district -- and one of the more independent members of Congress -- has been a thorn in the side of his party and its leadership. In 2012, Jones was [stripped](http://dailysignal.com/2015/06/23/meet-the-11-republicans-punished-by-house-gop-leadership/?ref=ivn.us) of his position on the House Financial Services Committee and in 2014 faced the toughest [primary](https://ivn.us/2014/03/24/independent-republican-walter-jones-faces-tough-primary-challenge-n-c/) challenge of his political career. Winning that primary with only 51%, it was [reasonable](http://www.theamericanconservative.com/larison/jones-fends-off-the-hard-liners/?ref=ivn.us) to think his party antagonists would [try again](https://ivn.us/2015/02/24/partisans-threaten-independent-rep-walter-jones-incumbency/).

Over the weekend, the Weekly Standard [reported](http://www.weeklystandard.com/blogs/clear-sailing-jones%5F978229.html?ref=ivn.us) that one of the more promising potential challengers to Jones, state transportation secretary Anthony Tata, was not going to run. A retired brigadier general and West Point graduate, the loss of Tata may move Jones' party rivals to support another candidate, Phil Law.

A veteran of the U.S. Marine Corps and a "[site](http://www.kinston.com/article/20150319/News/303199980?ref=ivn.us) development supervisor" for Hewlett-Packard in Jacksonville, Law announced his candidacy in March. Taking issue with Jones' effectiveness as a representative, he [told](http://www.kinston.com/article/20150319/News/303199980/?Start=1&ref=ivn.us) local media, "Jones talks a good talk but he doesn't actually get anything done."

Law also addressed what he felt was the problem with 2014's challenger, Taylor Griffin. Law [said](http://www.kinston.com/article/20150319/News/303199980/?Start=1&ref=ivn.us), "he was the wrong man" for the job:

> "He wasn't from North Carolina - he lived in DC - he was sent down, he was an operative, he was a registered lobbyist. And a lot of outside money, which Jones pointed out, backed him."

It is difficult to predict which issues Law might challenge Jones on because the 11-term congressman has amassed a conventionally conservative voting record. Opposing executive amnesty for illegal immigrants, executive orders on [gun control](http://jones.house.gov/issue/second-amendment?ref=ivn.us), and the Affordable Care Act, Jones was also ranked #39 on the Club for Growth's most recent scorecard, finishing ahead of party favorites Paul Ryan and [Cathy McMorris Rodgers](http://swampland.time.com/2014/01/23/cathy-mcmorris-rodgers-will-give-gop-state-of-the-union-response/?ref=ivn.us).

In a review of the "Issues" tab on Law's campaign website, on only two topics is Jones mentioned or alluded to: National Security and Veterans Issues. Jones' skeptical views on intervention post-2003 are well-known. On veterans issues, Law [criticizes](http://www.law4congress.com/issues/veterans?ref=ivn.us) Jones for being one of five [members](http://clerk.house.gov/evs/2014/roll467.xml?ref=ivn.us) in the House to vote against a veterans bill. However, Jones issued a press release at the time explaining his reasoning.

Arguing that the proposed bill, the Veterans' Access to Care through Choice, Accountability, and Transparency Act of 2014, would add "$10 billion in deficit spending" and amount to a new entitlement, Jones [wrote](https://jones.house.gov/press-release/jones-votes-against-misguided-unsustainable-va-bill?ref=ivn.us) that he could not support a bill while allowing:

> "...the current broken system to remain in place and increasing federal spending at a time that our national debt has already reached $17 trillion."

It should be noted that the vote came after Jones had survived the primary. An argument for fiscal responsibility could fall on deaf ears in a district housing the Camp Lejeune Marine Corps base, although Walter Jones has weathered the storms for nearly a decade.

The difference will likely be whether any other candidates enter the race or if sufficient numbers of Republican hawks will support and energize Law's campaign.

*Image: U.S. Rep. Walter Jones (R-N.C.)*