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Libertarian seeks tax-raising Republican's Oregon House seat
www.lp.org ^ | 3 28 04 | www.lp.org

Posted on 03/29/2004 5:25:31 AM PST by freepatriot32

Oregon Libertarian Tom Cox is following up on his promise: He said last year -- when he was chairman of the state Libertarian Party -- that Republican legislators in his state who voted to approve a tax hike would be opposed when they came up for re-election. He is now running against one of those Republicans.

And his move has been noted -- and applauded -- by local media and lawmakers alike.

The Salem Statesman Journal, in the capital city, pointed out that both Libertarians and some Republicans said they would do their utmost to kick those lawmakers out of office, but that Republicans had not stepped up to the plate to challenge GOP incumbents.

Only Libertarians are fielding opposition to the 10 tax-increasing Republicans, and Cox stands a good chance of winning his campaign against incumbent Rep. Mary Gallegos for the state House District 29 seat, the Statesman Journal reported.

Cox ran a high-profile gubernatorial race in 2002, then was a spokesman on three state-wide ballot initiatives -- including Measure 30, which would have raised taxes by $1.2 billion over three years -- so he enjoys strong name recognition in the state.

The facts that Measure 30 was defeated in February by 59 percent of the state's voters and that the Libertarians were given much media attention in the tax hike's defeat shed an even more positive light on Cox's race, since he was a primary opponent of the measure.

Cox also has the public support of at least three incumbent legislators: "He's had several Republicans coming to him, saying 'I think you have a real good shot at this,' said Elizabeth "Pith" Lourdes, one of Cox's campaign workers.

"We have an extremely good chance against Gallegos," Lourdes said. "She is not doing an entirely bad job, but she voted to raise taxes a couple of times."

And those tax-raising votes are enough reason to want any incumbent out of office, she said.

"Gallegos is a very nice lady, but nice doesn't get the job done," she added. "She was under pressure, and she took the easy way out."

Two Democrats -- Chuck Riley and Elena Uhing -- have also filed in the District 29 primary. Riley was the party's nominee in 2002, when Gallegos won her first term.

Cox doesn't have to run in the primary, making for a three-way race in November.


TOPICS: Business/Economy; Constitution/Conservatism; Culture/Society; Editorial; Government; News/Current Events; Politics/Elections; US: Oregon
KEYWORDS: culturewar; govwatch; house; libertarian; libertarians; oregon; philosophytime; priorities; raising; republicans; seat; seeks; tax; taxreform; taxreformthreads
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To: cinFLA
the libertarians only bash Bush and Republicans on FR.

Who are these libertarians who only bash Bush and Republicans on FR?

21 posted on 03/29/2004 7:16:13 AM PST by Sweet Land
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To: Sweet Land
x r p
22 posted on 03/29/2004 7:17:37 AM PST by cinFLA
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To: cinFLA
Nah man...I only bash Republicans when they abandon the causes of freedom, liberty and self-ownership. As far as Bush, he's done fine on foreign policy matters, but his domestic policy, aside from tax cuts, is a little disappointing.

Did you get my FReepMail?

23 posted on 03/29/2004 7:20:21 AM PST by xrp
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To: xrp
cinFLA claims you never bash Democrats; is that true?
24 posted on 03/29/2004 7:27:45 AM PST by Sweet Land
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To: Sweet Land
No, that is not true. I bash Democrats plenty. Aside from the PETA/ELF/Green Party alliance, Democrats are the biggest threat to freedom and liberty in this country. Bashing Democrats on FR.com isn't too effective, though, seeing as how it is a conservative news forum and not really frequented by liberals/Democrats.

cinFLA has always had a problem with the truth.

25 posted on 03/29/2004 7:31:10 AM PST by xrp
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To: rdb3
Probably because Dems don't (mis)represent themselves as being against tax increases. (normally)
26 posted on 03/29/2004 7:33:25 AM PST by BSunday
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To: Sweet Land
Sounds to me like they targeted those races where no tax-cutter is running. Why should they run against a tax-hiking Rat if a tax-cutting Republican is already running?

That is a possibilty, but from the press release, I don't hear any criticism of the demos.

Don't know if there any rats running unopposed.

Again if they were intellectually honest they would target weak demos also.

27 posted on 03/29/2004 7:36:15 AM PST by Dane
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To: Sweet Land
Also, keep in mind that FR is not a Bush news forum or a Republican news forum, rather the "The Premier Conservative News Forum"

If the concept of conservatism is abandoned by Bush or Republicans, do you not think it should be criticized?

28 posted on 03/29/2004 7:36:25 AM PST by xrp
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To: Dane
Why the free pass for the demos?

Obviously because you pick the races in which you have the best chance of winning. Libertarians are conservative and have a conservative message. Conservative messages obviously don't do well in seats which are already held by Democrats. This is especially true when it comes to things like tax increases or tax cuts.

In my home state of Indiana, the LP fields a candidate for every election. In Oregon, I'm guessing the LP's funds are slightly more limited, and so it picks and chooses the seats at which it thinks it has the best chance of winning.

29 posted on 03/29/2004 7:43:22 AM PST by Il Duce
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To: Il Duce
Obviously because you pick the races in which you have the best chance of winning. Libertarians are conservative and have a conservative message. Conservative messages obviously don't do well in seats which are already held by Democrats

Actually the official LP position is very socially liberal. Maybe that is why they don't target democrats.

30 posted on 03/29/2004 7:45:34 AM PST by Dane
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To: xrp
If the concept of conservatism is abandoned by Bush or Republicans, do you not think it should be criticized?

In the converse, shouldn't a political party(Libertarians) that doesn't target or criticize democrats be criticized also.

31 posted on 03/29/2004 7:48:00 AM PST by Dane
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To: Dane
Actually the official LP position is very socially liberal.

I certainly disagree with that. I consider advocating small government a conservative position--perhaps you disagree. The LP's stance is pretty simple. Small government, free markets, individual liberty. I call that pretty conservative.

32 posted on 03/29/2004 7:48:17 AM PST by Il Duce
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To: Dane
Sounds to me like they targeted those races where no tax-cutter is running. Why should they run against a tax-hiking Rat if a tax-cutting Republican is already running?

Again if they were intellectually honest they would target weak demos also.

Only if those weak Rats were unopposed by tax-cutting Republicans. Are there any such Rats?

33 posted on 03/29/2004 7:51:18 AM PST by Sweet Land
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To: xrp
If the concept of conservatism is abandoned by Bush or Republicans, do you not think it should be criticized?

Absolutely.

34 posted on 03/29/2004 7:51:50 AM PST by Sweet Land
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To: Il Duce
The LP's stance is pretty simple. Small government, free markets, individual liberty. I call that pretty conservative

So simple that they can't take a position on abortion. Also they are pro-drug.

I know, I know, they aren't pro-drug because there candidates don't use or promote drugs. That stance is like the demos on abortion. Lot's of democrats will say they are personally against abortion, but it should remain legal, thus they are pro-abortion.

I guess you will state that the demos position on abortion is "conservative".

35 posted on 03/29/2004 7:52:22 AM PST by Dane
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To: Sweet Land
Only if those weak Rats were unopposed by tax-cutting Republicans. Are there any such Rats?

Have no idea. This LP press release only has animus towards Republicans.

36 posted on 03/29/2004 7:53:59 AM PST by Dane
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To: Dane
In the converse, shouldn't a political party(Libertarians) that doesn't target or criticize democrats be criticized also.

L/libertarians target and criticize Democrats plenty. You just aren't looking in the right places. Try Neal Boortz's website.

37 posted on 03/29/2004 7:55:14 AM PST by xrp
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To: Dane
they aren't pro-drug because there candidates don't use or promote drugs. That stance is like the demos on abortion. Lot's of democrats will say they are personally against abortion, but it should remain legal, thus they are pro-abortion.

Actually, I would agree that "pro-abortion" is not (usually) an accurate term. It's closer to the truth (when applied to liberals) than "pro-choice;" I've heard "pro-abortion-choice" suggested as the right term for most liberals.

38 posted on 03/29/2004 7:56:19 AM PST by Sweet Land
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To: xrp
This isn't about Neal Boortz, but an Oregon Libertarian party being silent about the democrats.

Nice try at trying to change the subject, close but no doobie.

39 posted on 03/29/2004 7:57:20 AM PST by Dane
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To: Dane
Only if those weak Rats were unopposed by tax-cutting Republicans. Are there any such Rats?

Have no idea. This LP press release only has animus towards Republicans.

Which would be reasonable if no weak Rats were unopposed by tax-cutting Republicans.

40 posted on 03/29/2004 7:57:51 AM PST by Sweet Land
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