Republican Main Street Partnership

History

The Main Street Partnership was formed following the 1994 House elections, in which conservative Republicans were swept into power. An informal discussion group formed by Representatives Nancy Johnson, Steve Gunderson, and Fred Upton later became somewhat of an organized bloc intent on representing the moderate wing of the Republican Party. The partnership is currently composed of moderates such as Susan Collins and Mark Kirk; some members would fit most of the criteria of a conservative, such as Thad McCotter and Brian Bilbray.

The Main Street Partnership has allied with other moderate Republican groups, including Christine Todd Whitman's It's My Party Too, Ann Stone's Republicans for Choice, the Log Cabin Republicans, the Republican Majority For Choice, The Wish List, Republicans for Environmental Protection, the Mainstream Republicans of Washington, and the Kansas Traditional Republican Majority.

In May 2005, the Main Street Partnership helped pass the Stem Cell Research Enhancement Act in the House Of Representatives; 50 Republicans voted in support of the bill, which passed 238–194.

They are an important swing vote on spending bills and as a result have gained influence in Congress out of proportion to their numbers. They are frequently sought after to broker compromises between the Democratic and Republican leadership, generally lending a more centrist character to US politics.

The organization's board of directors voted on January 8, 2013 to scrap party identification from its title and be known simply as "The Main Street Partnership." The group's new president, former Ohio Republican Rep. Steven LaTourette, told Yahoo News that he intended to start conversations with Blue Dog Democrats and centrist groups in the following months.

Board of directors

Senators

Representatives

Representatives

Senators

Former Governors