Posted on 09/29/2009 5:54:26 PM PDT by IllumiNaughtyByNature
A cycle after the Democrats did their best to stretch the map to new lengths, Republicans are doing their best imitation.
Rep. Ike Skelton hasn’t taken less than 62 percent of the vote in 27 years; Rep. Alan Mollohan hasn’t taken less than 64 percent since 1984; and Rep. Rick Boucher hasn’t taken less than 59 percent in the last quarter-century.
snip...
A cycle after the Democrats went all out to stretch the map to new lengths, Republicans are doing their best imitation. The GOP is attempting to go after a number of seats it hasn’t pursued in decades, along with others that have gone by the wayside in recent cycles.
“They did a wonderful job of going out and finding candidates to run against our candidates that matched the district, and that’s what we’re doing,” said Rep. Lynn Westmoreland (R-Ga.), fresh off a recruiting trip to four states with lead National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC) recruiter Rep. Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.).
P> Snip... more at link
Does this mean you’re going to try to out “moderate” them again? Because that won’t work.
Or are you going to go out and try to out liberal them? Cause that won’t work either.
Calling it a “target list” is the first of many bad decisions I’m sure the republicans will make.
Slow down on the “you’re” questions. I am not Aaron Blake. I just posted it to add to the discourse. I report you decide.
Ike Skelton is well known as a supporter of a strong National Defense. But, beyond that, he votes like Nancy Pelosi and is way out of synch with his constituents. Perhaps next year is the election when the voters figure this out.
Hubris cuts both ways, no? What exactly do the Republicans stand for? They need another contract and then they need to live up to it.
Heh? How can you not run a viable candidate in a district that went for McCain by 20 points?? How is that being overconfident ?
I have no love for the GOP but I have an almost visceral hatred for the incredibly corrupt Democrat Party.
The Dems are PURE EVIL. Go GOP.
We have got to find someone to run against John Tanner. Twenty years is enough for folksy farm socialism.
The Republicans have no standing with the people! They are only marginally better than the Democrats and go along with their corrupt activities - they just wish it was them rather than the Democrats!
We do not have a party to vote for anymore - except of course the lesser of two evils and the Republicans are only slightly less corrupt than the Democrats. Not sure what the answer is, but it is sure not electing Republicans!
Hopefully, a Constitutional party will emerge or the country will go the way of Socialism/Marxism. With the voting patterns today - I have little faith in a good outcome.
If I had to select 5 decent politicians from those in office, I would have to stop at 2...and that is allowing for a bit of leeway...
Government by the people and for the people has become a joke and will not recover without a major revolution of the decent electorate.
This is the man responsible for 2006 & 2008. I remembering reading an interview someone where he said words to the effect that he doesn't care what people believe when he recruits them to run.
Yep. The “values party” just can’t keep their pants zipped either. Dump the values talk or actually live it.
If they continue to run lame canidates like McCain they'll get nowhere. Steele needs to step down as RNC chair maybe someone like Rove should take his place. If the GOP thinks that the tea parties were only against dems they're in for a rude awakening. IMHO the tea parties was more about restoring the constitution than any one political party.
Mollohan is very pro-life and pro-gun. He is also pro coal mining & pro business. His big draw is that he is on the appropriations committee and brings lots of federal money into the area. This is obviously helping the local economy.
Selling how a junior GOP congressman with crappy committee assignments could do better for the average WV voter would be very very tough sell indeed. Does the national GOP even support any pro-gun, pro-life, pro-coal candidates? And if they do, will the national GOP actually spend more than a token amount of money here to support them?
If they want to go after him, they should look to his environmental initiatives and hammer away at him for his stance on national healthcare. He is keeping a low profile on it because he knows that is where he is vulnerable. The coal miners won’t like it if their insurance plans get taxed at 35%. Common WV folk won’t like being forced to buy healthcare. Also knowing that their hard earned $$ is paying for illegal’s healthcare would make WV voters bitter indeed.
I still think the national GOP is totally and entirely clueless about WV. I remember ‘06 when their talking points had us listed as an easy, safe & guaranteed senate gain. At the time, there wasn’t even a GOP candidate declared to run against Senator Byrd. What a bunch of maroons.
My gosh...that is so the little of the problem! Republicans are just as corrupt as the Democrats - regardless of the zipper issue...(both seem to have that problem). Power and money seems to dominate both parties and getting re-elected is the only issue to both.
As Glenn Beck is trying to do - give me 56 representatives that will support the new republic (Constitution)! I imagine that that number will stop well before 10 - that is as bad as it gets... It stands at 5 so far and I am already surprised!
He is a pork king and is only pro-defense if he can get enough of the military bacon for his district.
James Pinckney Henderson Feb 19, 1846 Dec 21, 1847 Democratic
George T. Wood Dec 21, 1847 Dec 21, 1849 Democratic
Peter Hansborough Bell Dec 21, 1849 Nov 23, 1853 Democratic
James W. Henderson Nov 23, 1853 Dec 21, 1853 Democratic
Elisha M. Pease Jun 8, 1867 Sep 30, 1869 Republican
Hardin R. Runnels Dec 21, 1857 Dec 21, 1859 Democratic
Sam Houston Dec 21, 1859 Mar 18, 1861 Independent
Edward Clark Mar 18, 1861 Nov 7, 1861 Democratic
Francis R. Lubbock Nov 7, 1861 Nov 5, 1863 Democratic
Pendleton Murrah Nov 5, 1863 Jun 17, 1865 Democratic
Fletcher Summerfield Stockdale Jun 11, 1865 Jun 16, 1865 Military
Andrew J. Hamilton Jun 17, 1865 Aug 9, 1866 Democratic-Military
James W. Throckmorton Aug 9, 1866 Aug 8, 1867 Democratic
Edmund J. Davis Jan 8, 1870 Jan 15, 1874 Republican
Richard Coke Jan 15, 1874 Dec 21, 1876 Democratic
Richard B. Hubbard Dec 21, 1876 Jan 21, 1879 Democratic
Oran M. Roberts Jan 21, 1879 Jan 16, 1883 Democratic
John Ireland Jan 16, 1883 Jan 20, 1887 Democratic
Lawrence Sullivan Ross Jan 18, 1887 Jan 20, 1891 Democratic
James Stephen Hogg Jan 20, 1891 Jan 15, 1895 Democratic
Charles A. Culberson Jan 15, 1895 Jan 17, 1899 Democratic
Joseph D. Sayers Jan 17, 1899 Jan 20, 1903 Democratic
S. W. T. Lanham Jan 20, 1903 Jan 15, 1907 Democratic
Thomas Mitchell Campbell Jan 15, 1907 Jan 17, 1911 Democratic
Oscar Branch Colquitt Jan 17, 1911 Jan 19, 1915 Democratic
James E. "Pa" Ferguson Jan 19, 1915 Aug 25, 1917 Democratic
William P. Hobby Aug 25, 1917 Jan 18, 1921 Democratic
Pat Morris Neff Jan 18, 1921 Jan 20, 1925 Democratic
Miriam A. "Ma" Ferguson Jan 17, 1933 Jan 15, 1935 Democratic
Dan Moody Jan 17, 1927 Jan 20, 1931 Democratic
Ross S. Sterling Jan 20, 1931 Jan 17, 1933 Democratic
James V. Allred Jan 15, 1935 Jan 17, 1939 Democratic
W. Lee O'Daniel Jan 17, 1939 Aug 4, 1941 Democratic
Coke R. Stevenson Aug 4, 1941 Jan 21, 1947 Democratic
Beauford H. Jester Jan 21, 1947 Jul 11, 1949 Democratic
Allan Shivers Jul 11, 1949 Jan 15, 1957 Democratic
Price Daniel Jan 15, 1957 Jan 21, 1963 Democratic
John Connally Jan 15, 1963 Jan 21, 1969 Democratic
Preston Smith Jan 21, 1969 Jan 16, 1973 Democratic
Dolph Briscoe Jan 16, 1973 Jan 16, 1979 Democratic
Bill Clements Jan 20, 1987 Jan 15, 1991 Republican
Mark White Jan 18, 1983 Jan 20, 1987 Democratic
Ann Richards Jan 15, 1991 Jan 17, 1995 Democratic
George W. Bush Jan 17, 1995 Dec 21, 2000 Republican
Rick Perry Dec 21, 2000 Incumbent Republican
We don't have to worry about Texas on that score.
Texas has always been Democrat.
Texas has always been socialist.
Texas has always been corrupt.
Now, tell me about not electing Republicans.
Wow! Are you blaming me for Texas politics? Get real! You show your ignorance with your post.
Ah, more opportunity to fail!
The Senate bill specifically excludes union-provided (as opposed to employer-provided) health care insurance from being taxed.
I am blaming Texas for Texas politics. I’ve spent half my life fighting the Lyndon Johnsons and Tom Delays and I don’t want to hear a Texan tell me that the Republicans are corrupt and have no standing with the people.
Well, maybe you should enlighten yourself. Almost all politicians are corrupt after a couple of years in DC. That is unfortunately a fact that you have not yet digested. Texas politics is no different from all the other states - all bad I’m afraid. I have been fighting that for too many years. You on the other hand seem to take some states to task without seeing the overall picture - corruption on a national level! That’s okay though but you are unfortunately in the minority at this point but hopefully that will change.
I agree with your sentiment, but see nothing positive with your condemnation of Texas (which has been primarily a Republican State lately). There are so many other corrupt states that it would take several weeks to clarify but what good is it when the Federal Government is the current object of our wrath - and deservedly so....
Don’t waste your anger on the States when the Federal Government is attempting a takeover without regard of the Constitution. At least the States have a say or should have anyway...
> Republicans are overconfident and are exploiting the success of the Tea Parties.
Overconfidence means they will lose because they will relax their fight.
“The Senate bill specifically excludes union-provided (as opposed to employer-provided) health care insurance from being taxed.”
Doesn’t matter. There are still lots of non-union miners in WV. And lots of companies that provide decent insurance in lieu of better pay. People here truly hate govt intrusion in their lives. And there are lots of old folks who have seen medicare get crappier & crappier over the years.
He has been conspicuously absent on healthcare. No townhall meetings. No public appearances. No responses to newspaper critics. Nothing.
I expect his vote would flip on healthcare with the right kind of publicity.
Hey Free, don't forget that he voted against defunding Acorn.....that's not sitting too well either.
If I were running against him most of my ads would read something like "Who do you owe your loyalty to....your constituents or the Democrat Party (read Nancy Pelosi)?
As a matter of fact, any Republican running anywhere could box in his Democrat opponent this way. Even if the Congressperson is well liked in their district you can point out that they're still Pelosi's pawns.
We've a similar situation in TX-17, a conservative district, where Chet Edwards (D) keeps getting elected -- by talking conservative at home, then waffling in Washington.
Edwards has also been reluctant to address health care in an open forum. Instead, he distributed a two-page letter expressing his "concerns" and "hopes" on the subject. While the district is openly and near-unanimously against Obamacare, Edwards was hedging all over the lot.
He knows he's trapped. Between Nancy Pelosi and his constituents.
My condolences for having to take Edwards... but we don't want him back.
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RESISTOR
Swear allegiance to the flag, whatever flag they offer;
Never hint at what you really feel.
Teach the children quietly for, someday, sons and daughters
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I'll say this for Charlie, though: He voted to impeach Der Schlickmeister -- and that took some courage.
Courage that Chet didn't have, I might add...
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