Rooney's conservatism called into question over guns, border security

President Trump’s $4.7 trillion 2020 budget plan calls for billions of taxpayer dollars to be allocated to pay for the U.S. southern border wall that Democrats have been railing against

Trump, who wants $8.6 billion to build “The Wall,” with the bulk of that coming from the Congress ($5 billion) and another $3.6 billion from the military construction budget, has accused Democrats and some Republicans of not wanting to secure the border.

The president’s border funding ask is already receiving pushback from Democrats like Speaker Nancy Pelosi, who along with other House Democrats and 13 Republicans, recently voted to blocked President Trump’s emergency declaration to fund the wall.

Except for one member, Florida’s entire congressional delegation broke along their respective party lines on whether to support the president’s emergency declaration.

That one defector who broke with his fellow Conservatives Reps. Ted Yoho, Matt Gaetz, and Neal Dunn, was Republican Rep. Francis Rooney of Naples, Florida.

Rooney, who ran and won in a very Conservative Republican congressional district, is no stranger to fielding criticism from his conservative base.

Doris Cortese, a Grassroots Republican from southwest Florida, told an NBC affiliate in Naples that she “was very disappointed in his vote” and felt that Rooney “let him (Trump) down with this vote.

 His comments on a potential assault rifle ban following the mass shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas did not earn him favor amongst Republican loyalists. 

“To be honest with you. I’m not sure. I think people should be able to use them in gun ranges if they want to go rip off a bunch of caps, if you will, at a gun range,” said Rooney.

An unsure Rooney also question why these same citizens use these weapons outside of the range.

“Do they need to own them (assault weapons or AR-15’s) or take them out of the facility, I’m not sure.”- Rep. Francis Rooney (R)

Rooney will have a chance to redeem himself when the president’s budget comes down to a vote.