OP-ED: Reaching across aisle should not mean abandoning principles

There are some places, some groups in my district, where I know the same questions will occur every time I visit: "Can you work with Democrats to get something done?"

I get it. I'm one of, if not the most, conservative member of Congress. I'm on the board of the House Freedom Caucus — a group that is not part of the Washington elite.

I used to be surprised by that question. First, I was intrigued because I've never heard a Democrat ask that same question. Second, I was elected as a conservative Republican, and I vote in a way that I believe is consistent with how I represent myself publicly. Third, my record is available to view and consult when considering whether I cross the aisle. Lastly, I have multiple bills with bipartisan support that became law.

Why don't I hear that question asked of Democrats? When I introduced the Right to Try Act, I assumed that I would have broad bipartisan support. After all, more than 40 states had passed some version of Right to Try. The Senate version passed unanimously. But when we considered it in the House, I had trouble getting more than 30 Democrats on board, even though then-House member Kyrsten Sinema, a Democrat, was helping me whip support.

My bill, the Ashlynne Mike AMBER Alert in Indian Country Act, received popular support across the aisle. In fact, I had more trouble getting Republicans to support the bill than Democrats. In the end, the bill passed by voice vote in the House and was signed into law by President Donald Trump.

Similarly, I joined with Congressman Hakeem Jeffries, a Democrat, to lead the JACK Act. This bill put constraints on lobbyists who have been convicted of unethical conduct. It was signed into law by President Trump last Congress.

When Arizona's drought contingency plan was considered in Congress, in Arizona Congressman Raul Grijalva's committee, the entire Arizona delegation came together to support and assure its passage. Each of us testified in committee about its purpose. It too was signed into law.

I formed a new caucus this year with Democrat Congressman Ro Khanna. It is a bipartisan caucus that focuses on the overly broad interpretation of the War Powers Act and the use of U.S. military forces throughout the world based on an outdated congressional Authorization of Use of Military Force resolution.

I often invite Democrats to co-sponsor legislation that I sponsor. I routinely discuss issues with my colleagues across the aisle.

Yet I remain baffled as to why Democrats aren't urged to reach across the aisle and why working collaboratively always means that Republicans must move toward the Democrat position. I was elected as a conservative Republican. I campaigned that way. I vote that way. I represent my district that way. I look for connections with my Democrat friends, but I would never expect them to abandon their principles. So why do people expect me to abandon mine?

I remember something that I discovered a long time ago: Democrats view politics as a war to be won, and the Republicans, who are almost always on our heels, tend to consider politics as a process.

Where we can work together we will. But I will continue to fight to restore individual freedom and limit the size and scope of the federal government. I will continue to advocate for the constitutional authority of Congress. And, I will continue to represent my district first.