DeLay looks to worthy successor(who is the next Hammer?)

Washington Times ^ | 4-10-06 | Ralph Z Hallow

[Gipper08]

Departing Rep. Tom DeLay, Texas Republican, says any of three colleagues could some day assume his role as leader of conservatives in the House. Asked who might be the House's "next Tom DeLay," the former majority leader, once considered the most powerful Republican in Congress, named three Republicans: Rep. Adam H. Putnam of Florida, Rep. Mike Pence of Indiana and Rep. Patrick T. McHenry of North Carolina. When told of Mr. DeLay's remarks, Mr. Pence said simply, "I accept the compliment." Mr. McHenry said, "I'm blown away ... I'm so excited that Tom DeLay would say that about me." Overlooked by Mr. DeLay were more than 100 other conservative-voting House Republicans, some of whom are known beyond their home districts and even their states. The Texas Republican also says he is leaving government "to do what I do best -- lead the conservative movement" and raise money for Republican candidates. He responded with the single word "maybe" when asked whether he could imagine becoming a lobbyist for a living.......

Mr. Putnam, a young-looking 31-year-old, was first elected to the House in 2000. Mr. Pence, 45, whom colleagues describe as a gifted writer and speaker, is the most widely known of the three. Mr. McHenry, 32, is a freshman elected to Congress in 2004 after having been a member of the North Carolina House. Mr. Pence has headed the 100-plus member House Republican Study Committee since September 2004 and is credited with turning the RSC from a caucus of House conservatives into what is now widely regarded as recent history's largest and most powerful coalition of Republican lawmakers who espouse limited government and individual freedom.....

[Gipper08]

Most often mentioned by Republicans in and out of Congress as today's "rising stars" in the House are Mr. Pence, and Reps. Paul D. Ryan of Wisconsin, John Shadegg and Jeff Flake of Arizona and Pete Sessions of Texas. In one issue that splits the three DeLay-anointed conservatives, Mr. Pence voted against restricting contributions to nonprofit 527 groups that liberal Democrats such as George Soros have used for voter mobilization and issue advertisements. Citing a desire to "level the playing field" in campaign-finance spending, Mr. McHenry and Mr. Putnam joined the Republican majority in voting for the bill, which passed 218-209. Mr. Pence voted no, along with Mr. Shadegg and a small band of other conservative Republicans. They had opposed the 2002 McCain-Feingold restrictions on campaign-finance spending as abridgements of free speech, and now say it is hypocritical for members of their own party who also opposed McCain-Feingold to support a similar assault on free speech in the form of the 527 bill.

[cripplecreek]

I'm thinking that we the people should be the hammer.

[Rodney King]

When Delay says "conservative" does he mean the old Tom Delay that fought for less government, less taxes, and conservative values, or the new Tom Delay that put establishing a GOP pork and influence machine ahead of everything else?

[Cyclopean Squid]

There's only ONE Hammer:

[VictoryGal]

Thank you! Let's not get a clone of the space alien that took Delay's place in recent times.

[xsmommy]

ping

[demkicker]

I'm prone to pull for Pence because of knowing he is a true conservative and doesn't appear to have a wobbly bone in his body.

[ozzymandus]

Whoever it is had better be squeaky clean and have a hide like an alligator. The RATS brought down DeLay, and they'll try again.

[Holden Magroin]

Regardless of who DeLay's successor is, he'll be yet another faithful servant of the open borders lobby, using social issues to fool conservatives into voting for him.