Conservative PAC Shifts Focus To Senate Races, Say Bush Reelection 'No Longer A Certainty'

SPARTANBURG, SC (Talon News) -- A conservative political action committee leader said in a message to supporters on Tuesday that "keeping the Senate in GOP hands is now the number one priority of this election year," because President George W. Bush's reelection is "no longer a certainty."

William J. Murray, Chairman of the socially conservative PAC Government Is Not God (GING), said Bush's poll numbers are strikingly similar to two other former presidents who failed in their reelection bids.

"As of this month [Bush] has the same approval ratings as Presidents Jimmy Carter and George H.W. Bush did just before they each failed to be reelected," Murray declared in the e-mail. "And most polls show the President still in a downward spiral."

As a result, Murray believes conservative activists will be "shifting their focus to a must win in the Senate."

"Should George W. Bush lose in November, keeping the Senate to block any major shifts in social policy by a Kerry White House is imperative," Murray explained.

The reasoning behind Murray's Senate strategy lies primarily with judicial nominations, which he describes as "a big issue."

"While Bill Clinton had eight years to stack the courts with liberal judges, George W. Bush has had only four years to undo the damage," Murray revealed. "Four years of John Kerry appointing trial lawyers to the bench will destroy the legal system for twenty years to come."

Should Kerry defeat Bush in November, Murray said there needs to be a Republican Senate "to block nominations in the same way that the Democrats have blocked those of President George W. Bush."

Lamenting the already "socially liberal" U.S. Supreme Court, Murray is worried that Kerry would be allowed to appoint up to "three more pro-abortion Justices."

Explaining the magnitude of keeping control of the Senate in the hands of Republicans, Murray said the alternative is frightening.

"While Republicans can block left-wing nut judges with less than a majority, if the Democrats take even 50 seats along with a Democrat Vice President, they will control all committee chairmanships and control the entire legislative agenda," Murray warned.

Not giving up completely on Bush's reelection effort, Murray said, "We must keep the Senate at all costs while continuing to work for George W. Bush."

Looking at specific Senate races, GING-PAC believes Georgia, Colorado, South Dakota, South Carolina, Kansas, Oklahoma, and Washington will all likely go to the Republicans in November.

In Georgia, where conservative Democratic Sen. Zell Miller is retiring, GING-PAC is endorsing and financially supporting Rep. Michael "Mac" Collins over former Godfather's Pizza CEO Herman Cain.

In Colorado, GING-PAC is backing Rep. Bob Schaffer over heavy favorite, beer manufacturer Pete Coors.

"Under Pete Coors' leadership the Coors Brewing Company stopped funding social conservative organizations in Washington, DC and hired Vice President Dick Cheney's lesbian daughter as their liaison to the 'gay community,'" Murray unveiled. "That does not exactly make him dear to the hearts of social conservatives in Colorado."

Meanwhile, in South Dakota, home state of Senate Minority Leader and Republican antagonizer Sen. Tom Daschle, GING-PAC sees this election cycle as "our big chance to get rid" of him.

"Polls continue to show [Republican candidate John] Thune statistically even with Democrat Senate Leader Tom Daschle," Murray noted. "These numbers are staggering considering the length of time Daschle has been a Senator, and that he has already spent millions of dollars in advertising."

Looking at Daschle's seat as a "target," GING-PAC is hoping to upset the Democratic leadership in the Senate with an upset.

"If we knock out Daschle, the Democrat leadership in the Senate will be in crisis mode next year," Murray proclaimed.

GING-PAC reminded its supporters in the e-mail that they are allowed to "spend unlimited funds on uncoordinated campaign activities for" Thune.

Other official endorsements for the U.S. Senate by the GING-PAC include Sam Brownback in Kansas, Tom Coburn in Oklahoma, Jim DeMint in South Carolina, and George Nethercutt in Washington.

In a final push for Bush at the end of the e-mail, Murray states GING-PAC "has endorsed and will continue to work for the reelection of President George W. Bush regardless of poll numbers" because of his outstanding leadership in the war on terrorism.

"We are at war with a vicious enemy and the alternative to George W. Bush is a man who would depend upon the despots who run the United Nations to protect our country," Murray said. "Four years of John Kerry as president would set back the war on terror by 20 years and move the nation even faster toward a complete social meltdown."

"William J. Murray is the son of.. or This Murray character is smoking crack.

Attack the messenger. Ignore the message.

Does this tactic sound familiar? It is right out of the DNC play book.

Republican loyalist need to listen. There's trouble in the conservative base. Trouble that Bush created. Trouble that only Bush can fix.

It's Bush's race to lose and if he doesn't make some mid course corrections soon he just may well.

To tell you the truth... from where I sit... I haven't seen anything about a Republican Senate or House that gets my adrenaline flowing.

The only good one of the lot is Delay and he's been effectively neutered.

These spineless weasels have left W twisting in the wind more than once. They cave in the face of any resistence. They are unprincipled, ineffective and have demonstrated no ability to lead. They roll over on spending, judicial appointments and each other. They deserve only our contempt.

We need another Contract with America.

I agree.

Some, but not all of Bush's problems stem from a lack of partisan support in the Congress. These problems were magnified when Bush shifted from President to candidate some months ago.

Because of the need to craft moderate solutions to many of our most pressing problems, moderate solutions that the weakened resolve in his own party would support, Bush is alienating the conservative base and insulting common sense.

I some time imagine the things that could be accomplished if reelection were not a concern in times of war. That our representatives had the courage of their convictions and that if they acted on those convictions they would be returned to office again and again.

Bush has to come down hard on the oil companies for these price hikes that are gonna short circuit the recovery.

Think these price hikes are due to rising crude prices? take a look at this.

Estimated 2004 Gasoline Price Breakdown & Margins Details

One of the implied promises that we all bought into when we supported the war in Iraq was the cheap oil that a successful campaign would bring.

Don't forget, the Republicans can do to the Dems exactly what the Dems have done to the Republicans, as far as judicial nominations.

Only a small number of Bush's nominees have had problems.... There have been 173 Bush nominees confirmed and 33 more awaiting Senate floor action which includes the ones currently being filibustered and ones with blue slips on them. There are an additional 15 nominees in the Judicary Committee going through the hearing processes.

Typical ingrate attitude on the
[art of Republicans. I worked the
polls in Eastern PA for Bush 41 and Bob Dole...and I was probably
the only worker with a Presidential pin or handing out literature for the top of the ticket. And this was a solid GOP area.

The local work for W was better but not by much. The party regulars believed the call for Gore about Florida and shut down
the campaign HQ before 10 pm. The vote went for Gore in the district.

This time around Ed Gillespie is
trying to bypass lackluster so-called Republicans by fielding
an e-mail driven group of volunteers---who were already on duty during the primaries.

I swear to God the GOP is getting soft and bowing down to the Amerikan Left. If we are to win the November war, we must believe that we can be the juggernaut that I believe we are and steamroll the DNC. Patton said it best, "never dig in, always take the offensive" A new attitude needs to be instilled in the Elephantheads. We need backbone and not lie down to these SOB's. I have started a Young Republicans chapter in my county and I am getting out there and declaring war on the left.

Murray's a flake. Bush is leading in most of the polls, yet he still thinks Bush is going to lose.

I agree. He's doing right now, by being intimidated by liberal media spin, what he's hoping Republicans in Congress don't do next year.

There is little chance of Bush losing since liberals do not win national elections. Bill Clinton had to portray himself as a conservative just to get 43 and 49% of the vote.

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