With the Conservative Political Action Conference a week away, the American Conservative Union released its 2013 scorecard ranking the most conservative members of Congress.
The ACU scored 25 votes in the Senate, including the Violence Against Women Act reauthorization and the Toomey-Manchin gun-control amendment. In the House, lawmakers were similarly scored on 25 bills including missile defense and the farm bill.
The least conservative GOP senator was Susan Collins (R-Maine), while the most conservative Democrats were Sens. Mark Pryor (D-Ark.) and Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.). The least conservative Republican member of the House was New York Rep. Michael Grimm, while the most conservative Dem was retiring Utah Blue Dog Jim Matheson.
Three members of the Senate scored 100 percent: Tom Coburn (R-Okla.), Ted Cruz (R-Texas) and Mike Lee (R-Utah). Coburn is retiring at the end of this year to focus on his personal battle against cancer.
Those who earned perfect scores in the House were Michele Bachmann (R-Tenn.), Ron DeSantis (R-Fla.), Jeff Duncan (R-S.C.), Scott Garrett (R-N.J.), Trey Gowdy (R-S.C.), Jim Jordan (R-Ohio), Raul Labrador (R-Idaho), Tom McClintock (R-Calif.), Mick Mulvaney (R-S.C.), Mike Pompeo (R-Kansas), Trey Radel (R-Fla.), Matt Salmon (R-Ariz.), Steve Scalise (R-La.), David Schweikert (R-Ariz.) and Steve Stockman (R-Texas). Radel resigned a month ago after a conviction for cocaine possession.
Senators who scored 80 percent or higher were John Barrasso (R-Wyo.), John Boozman (R-Ark.), Richard Burr (R-N.C.), Dan Coats (R-Ind.), John Cornyn (R-Texas), Mike Crapo (R-Idaho), Mike Enzi (R-Wyo.), Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), Dean Heller (R-Nev.), Jim Inhofe (R-Okla.), Ron Johnson (R-Wis.), Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.), Jerry Moran (R-Kansas), Rand Paul (R-Ky.), Jim Risch (R-Idaho), Pat Roberts (R-Kansas), Marco Rubio (R-Fla.), Tim Scott (R-S.C.), Jeff Sessions (R-Ala.), John Thune (R-S.D.) and Pat Toomey (R-Pa.).
Seven senators scored zero: Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.), Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii), Tom Harkin (D-Iowa), Tim Kaine (D-Va.), Jay Rockefeller (D-W.Va.), Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) and Debbie Stabenow (D-Mich.).
Only one member of the House scored zero: Rep. Bruce Braley (D-Iowa), who is running for retiring Sen. Harkin’s seat this fall.
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