Rep. Adam Kinzinger: 'Even Democrats want a healthy Republican Party'

Rep. Adam Kinzinger, R-Ill., joins Yahoo News Senior Political Correspondent Jon Ward on "The Long Game" podcast to discuss CPAC, misinformation and the growing divisions within the Republican Party. Kinzinger, who has been an outspoken critic of Trump loyalists since the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol, tells Yahoo News that "if there's somebody peddling fear in the caucus, we're going to go after them."

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JON WARD: Congressman Kinzinger, it's great to have you on the show. We're going to talk about a few things today, but I just wanted to start by mentioning that the Conservative, American Conservative Union, they're going to have, they're going to start the CPAC conference in Florida tomorrow. President, or former President Trump will be speaking on Sunday. And it occurred to me to ask you if you had been invited to that. I'm assuming you weren't. If you were, please share that. But if you had been invited to that, what would you get up on stage and say to that audience?

ADAM KINZINGER: Yeah, It's not going to shock you, I wasn't invited. And I think given that there's only a few true conservatives left, maybe I should have been. But if I was on stage, look, I would say this. We like to talk a lot about Ronald Reagan. I love the guy. And one of the things you see when he speaks is just his the glint in the eye optimism he has in talking about how great the country is. He was country first. And what we've become in the last 30 years is just this anger, fear-driven movement.

We talk about spirituality and Christianity, and all through the Bible, at least that I've read, talked about inoculating yourself against fear and fear not, and yet, we peddle fear. And so what I would stand up if I had just 30 seconds to say, is just look, here's what I believe a conservative is. That a kid born in the inner city should have the same opportunity as a kid born in the richest suburb. And everything we talk about around that is just window dressing to get to that end state. Do you disagree or do you agree? And if you agree, do you think peddling in fear is the best way to ensure that opportunity?

JON WARD: You made comments to the "Washington Post" a few weeks ago indicating that you'd use your PAC to support primary challenges against other Republicans. You mentioned Matt Gaetz and Marjorie Taylor Green. Is that something that you're serious about?

ADAM KINZINGER: Yeah, I think we have to. I think we have to be willing to say if there's somebody peddling fear in the caucus, we're going to go after them. I'm not going to, it's not going to be a shotgun approach, like let's just see what sticks. It'll be a rifle shot, recruiting candidates. But not just at the congressional level, at the local level. The mayor of Oklahoma City, for instance, put out a great article about how politicians have been fearful to tell people the truth. And it's easier to smile and say, yeah, OK, and go away.

But after 10 years of that, people start believing a lot of the stuff, because we're not doing our job. That's the kind of person, frankly, that needs to be supported as well. All I want to say, it's a real low bar to get the support. Do you put your country before your party and you want to tell people the truth? And unfortunately, that knocks out about 80% of people out there. But this has got to be the beginning of change to restore this party in this country.

JON WARD: The NRCC said they're not going to support primary challenges to people who voted for impeachment. Did they kind of try to come to you and say, can you back off this effort to primary people?

ADAM KINZINGER: No. They haven't. And I think it's a good approach for the NRCC to take. I wish they'd support their incumbents. But whatever, I guess I can understand it. But the bottom line is, look, if you look at whether it's the America First PAC or the Trump people, they're doing the same thing. So if you want to try to silence people that are trying to defend the integrity of the Republican Party, go for it. But I don't think you're going to find a willing audience.

And I also think it's less about, yeah, there's going to be some help in primaries and all that stuff, but it's less about that with Country First. It's more about reminding people the whole point of conservatism and the Republican Party and exposing the fear tactics that have been used for too long.

JON WARD: And I think both of us know that most Republicans who are in politics or in government who understand politics and history want the Republican Party to be rid of Donald Trump and his influence. But most Republicans and conservatives keep hoping he will go away or people will lose interest and that the problem will basically take care of itself.

You seem to have reached a different conclusion and are taking a different approach, which is kind of waging a very relentless and very public campaign, an argument almost through media saturation. Is that, how calculated is that about how influence and power works now, especially as it relates to the way that parties used to influence and take the direction of a party? And now, it seems like it's more bottom up.

ADAM KINZINGER: It is. And initially, you would think that's a good thing. But with McCain-Feingold taking soft money out of the parties, and then, of course. Citizens United, which allowed outside money in, parties have no more influence and control. I always giggle, not really giggle, but sort of like, whatever, when people talk about the establishment. That doesn't exist anymore. A party has become basically another venue for commercials basically.

So what I've looked at is said. I think if you put any leader today, with the exception of a few, on a lie detector and said, do you want Trump here or not, they'd all say no, we're done with him. But the problem is, they're waiting for this organic movement to throw the president out. The problem is, it's not going to happen. Because nobody is presenting a counter view. So I am intentionally being more public and loud, not because I want to be known or anything like that, but because nobody else is.

And I learned a long time ago that look, if I was willing to give my life for the country in Iraq, I have to be willing to give my career for the same cause. And so I just made that decision. It's hard. It's not been fun. But every day I'm committed to doubling down on it, because somebody needs to hear the alternative message, which is, even Democrats want a healthy Republican Party. And we are very sick at the moment. And quite honestly, we may win in 2022, but we won't win because people will be inspired by us.