Posted on 10/17/2009 6:40:43 PM PDT by ellery
The House GOP conference is bitterly divided over a centrist New York Republican’s run for the House seat vacated by Army Secretary John McHugh.
Assemblywoman Dede Scozzafava, who backs abortion rights and has voiced support for gay rights, has drawn a challenger from the right who is running on the Conservative Party line. And though House leaders have urged conference members to donate, many have pointedly refused to back Scozzafava.
The Club for Growth, Concerned Women of America, former Sen. Fred Thompson (R-Tenn.) and evangelical leader Gary Bauer have all endorsed Doug Hoffman, the Conservative Party candidate.
The divide could foreshadow bigger troubles ahead for a party that hopes to make big gains in the House in 2010 and dreams of taking back the majority. Some members think that will be impossible as long as the party is divided over supporting centrist candidates.
“The Hoffman campaign is a real revolt against the Republican establishment and leadership, not just in New York but nationally,” said a conservative GOP congressman, adding that Scozzafava’s candidacy “could set off a civil war inside the Republican Party.”
Just 17 members — about 10 percent of the GOP conference — have written checks to Scozzafava’s campaign. They include House Minority Leader John Boehner (R-Ohio), Minority Whip Eric Cantor (R-Va.), National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC) Chairman Pete Sessions (Texas) and Rep. Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.), who is in charge of recruiting candidates to run next year.
Notably absent from that list is Rep. Mike Pence (Ind.), the Republican Conference chairman. Pence, the former chairman of the conservative Republican Study Committee, has refused to endorse Scozzafava.
“I don’t think this is an NRCC problem. This is a much broader Republican problem,” the conservative lawmaker added. “The inability of the Republican coalition to coalesce is going to be a huge challenge for us in 2010.”’
In an effort to prove Scozzafava can attract conservatives, Sessions pushed Rep. Jeb Hensarling (R-Texas) to step up and endorse her. After his announcement, Hensarling took shots from some prominent conservative blogs and media outlets, with some going so far as to lob unfounded charges about Hensarling’s personal life.
Leadership aides blame those incidents on Pence, and say his decision not to endorse Scozzafava harms cohesion.
“It breaks down the leadership team when we all can’t be together,” one leadership aide said. “When you see a good guy like Jeb Hensarling step into the fray to take that bullet, you kind of scratch your head and say, ‘Do we really want a Republican majority, or are we in it for something else here?’ ”
Hensarling declined to be interviewed about his endorsement of Scozzafava. A spokesman said he had nothing to add to his statement, issued last Friday.
A second GOP congressman said his party’s leaders should be glad to welcome a female candidate with the background to win a district in a part of the country where Republican strength has declined.
“It’s hard to fathom that anyone in our elected leadership, especially after the past two election cycles in the Northeast, would be so tepid in supporting adding another woman to the House Republican Conference,” the congressman said.
But others defend Pence’s decision to stay out of the race. The conservative House GOP member said Scozzafava’s positions put her so far out of the Republican mainstream that, were she to win, she could do damage to the entire party’s brand.
“A lot of people in the conference are having a hard time [supporting Scozzafava]. This is somebody who’s for the stimulus package, for cap-and-trade, for card-check,” the conservative said. “We’re on the verge of losing that race up there because we’ve got a candidate who can’t hold the Republican coalition together.”
A Pence spokesman refused to comment on his decision not to back Scozzafava.
Don Seymour, a Boehner spokesman, did not indicate his boss saw any friction within party leadership.
“We’re pleased with the support Dede has received from leadership and members of the conference,” Seymour said.
A spokesman for Scozzafava’s campaign said it is happy with the support it has received.
“On Election Day, we’re going to be in a position to win this race,” said Matt Burns, a campaign spokesman.
The number of Republicans in Congress backing Scozzafava will rise in the coming days.
On Wednesday, 11 House Republican women hosted a lunch for Scozzafava. And Wednesday night, most of the House GOP leadership, including Boehner, Cantor, McCarthy, Sessions, conference Vice Chairwoman Cathy McMorris Rodgers (Wash.) and conference Secretary John Carter (Texas) hosted a fundraiser for Scozzafava at the home of ex-Rep. Nancy Johnson (R-Conn.).
Scozzafava was nominated by the chairmen of the local county party, and is competing for a district with about 46,000 more registered Republicans than Democrats. However, it gave President Barack Obama 52 percent of the vote in 2008.
Also see: DC-Based Republicans Put $650K Toward Candidate Backed by Kos, ACORN, AFL-CIO, SEIU, Planned Parenthood and NARAL
Centrist?????
ping
I know—what a joke. This GOP candidate makes Harry Reid look centrist.
America does not want RINOs.
Scuzzyflava is NO centrist
When Gary Bauer supports you, it is usually “the kiss of death”!
“The House GOP conference is bitterly divided over a centrist New York Republican’s run for the House seat vacated by Army Secretary John McHugh.”
It’s time for Mourning in America...
There’s nothing “centrist” about an openly pro-abortion and pro-gay Republican in a district that generally votes Republican and would easily elect a conservative candidate.
This is insane.
And what’s obvious is that, once again, it is a LEADERSHIP problem. Except for Pence, all of the leaders are INSANE.
“Just 17 members — about 10 percent of the GOP conference — have written checks to Scozzafava’s campaign. They include House Minority Leader John Boehner (R-Ohio), Minority Whip Eric Cantor (R-Va.), National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC) Chairman Pete Sessions (Texas) and Rep. Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.), who is in charge of recruiting candidates to run next year.”
All of those idiots have got to go. They don’t deserve leadership positions, because they are incapable of leading.
It’s either that, or start a new party. These jackasses have blown the past two elections, failed to discipline traitors like Olympia Snowe, and now reveal that they are themselves traitors.
This simply cannot go on. Once again, they are racing the Democrat party to the bottom. Straight into the sewer.
Donate directly to Hoffman if that is your desire; don’t donate to the GOP. You can’t control where your money goes when you donate to the national Republican organizations and it ends up going to candidates that conservatives would never support personally.
The option was a rino, they stayed home.
If there was any doubt the GOP is screwed up, the fact that they would give MONEY to someone who sides with the Daily Kos and ACORN, well then this proves it
Some names to kick out of office.
Hensarling should feel it too, he should have known better.
Funny this. The GOP thought because they are not rats, us stupid idiot conservatives would fall in line.
I do blame McHugh though, for taking a job with this socialist administration. In fact, I blame all rinos that join this administration. They might be conservatives, but by taking a job with 0 they are turning their backs on us.
I also blame the local GOP for picking some idiot that should be running for a seat in San Fran, where that crap might fly, not in a more conservative district. Utter incompetence.
The RINO’s are always trying to divide the GOP. They may finally get their way. The GOP RINO’s can keep their 10%
Anyone see any RATINGS about Scozzafava, I thought I read some today...but I can’t find it for the life of me.. All I remember reading was couldn’t decide who was more moderate.. Her or Joe LIeberman.
Since when does the RNC takes sides in primary elections by funneling donor dollars to their hand-pick handmaiden?
If any election makes me think of Rabs, this is it.
Hey, party “leadership,” we tried your “centrist” (aka RAT-lite) approach with McCain and it failed miserably. FAILED. MISERABLY. No more excrement sandwiches and it isn’t because I don’t like bread.
My only regret about Sarah Palin’s part in 2008 was that her being on the ticket masked what an abject failure a centrist-centrist duo would have been. But God love her, we got to know Sarah and in fact her preventing the Obama landslide that was coming before she was placed on the ticket helps us refute the “mandate” claims of the Kenyan.
Hoffman wrote something for the Malkin site
http://michellemalkin.com/2009/10/17/a-message-from-ny-23-conservative-candidate-doug-hoffman/
The Stupid Party expands its brand.
What primary? Was there a primary? I thought she was chosen by the local GOP council to be the candidate in the special election.
???
I don't understand.. Why would anybody with an ounce of decency support this liberal socialist scumbag?
Dede. So charming. So stupid.
The present scuttle.
No more RINOS!!
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/2353744/posts
this one too.. also talks of her endorsement by Daily KOS..
been looking but couldn’t find the damn link.
I agree 100%. The GOP leadership doesn’t care if the GOP wins or loses, as long as they personally stay in the good graces of the DC cocktail party circuit. Nothing is going to change until the GOP leaders (who think they’re in safe districts) are thrown out of office and sent home with their tails between their legs.
TO
info@gop.com
ricktyler@newt.org
DC-Based Republicans Put $650K Toward Candidate Backed by Kos, ACORN, AFL-CIO, SEIU, Planned Parenthood and NARAL
I left the Democrat Party and joined the Republican Party with Ronald Reagan
I left the Republican Party when you nominated Juan McAmnesty
I voted for Sarah Palin
However If you continue to back Scozzafava, I will no longer and may never vote for a Republican again
You will have become the party of murder, perversion & thugs.
/signed
WE'RE THE GOP. WE DON'T GET IT!
I have no love for Scozzafava. What I am trying to say is Bauer is like TOXIC DEBT! He supports people and they almost always LOSE! Would someone please shut him up!
This Scozzofava woman isn’t even RAT light—she literally racked up a more leftist voting record in the NY State Assembly than many NY State democrats.
Kos of the Daily Kos endorsed her over the democrat in the race!
I would say she is anything but a conservative. I can see this senario over and over again perfected by such RINOS as McCain. They give us all this crap about being Republicans and walk right over and vote with the other side.
Bi-partisanship; my fanny. Nope, we Americans want real Americans as our Congress people.
Conservatives need to take a stand. Any Republican who does not endorse Hoffman gets NO conservative support EVER again. Get on the phone. Contact your Representatives and Senators, tell them if they do not come out actively for Hoffman you will never do anything for them again. Let’s get these two faced cowards to show some principles and take a stand for what is right for America.
If she were centrist, it wouldn’t be so bad, but she is left of many blue dog DemocRats.
I sure don’t want my money going to Scozzafava! I’ll keep it right here in my wallet, Mr. Steele!
I think the split is beginning...
Republicans are in for a rude awakening if they think they're going to exploit the success of the Tea Parties and voter anger at Obama & the Democrats socialist policies. This is why Christie in NJ, and now McDonnell, are seeing their respective races tightening up. I truly believe that 2010 will be a watershed year in politics.
Exactly.
Freep-mail me to get on or off my pro-life and Catholic List:
Please ping me to note-worthy Pro-Life or Catholic threads, or other threads of interest.
Obama Says A Baby Is A Punishment
Obama: “If they make a mistake, I don’t want them punished with a baby.”
This quote really explains the lackadaisical attitude the GOP has. It's all about winning and getting a seat at the trough, never mind fighting for the people and what you believe in.
the oldest con in the world is “Good cop-Bad cop”.....that’s the Republican-Democrat con...the Republicrat Con.......
I don’t think he had the option of running as a Republican. As far as I know, because of the special election, the GOP central committee picked the candidate. So the only way for a conservative to get on the ballot was to run on another line.
“The divide could foreshadow bigger troubles ahead for a party that hopes to make big gains in the House in 2010 and dreams of taking back the majority.”
EXACTLY why this needs to be nipped in the bud immediately.
Hoffman tried to run as a republican. Because it’s a special election, the state GOP (reportedly in consultation with the national GOP) selected the GOP candidate. They turned Hoffman down and hand-picked Scozzafava; Hoffman then agreed to run on the third-party Conservative ticket, while still remaining a declared republican.
http://adirondackdailyenterprise.com/page/content.detail/id/507595.html?nav=5008
http://adirondackdailyenterprise.com/page/content.detail/id/507934.html?nav=5008
He can’t run as a Republican. The Republican leaders anointed Scuzzy as their candidate.
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