Posted on 09/26/2004 6:05:44 PM PDT by imagebuilder
State GOP wrestling for identity Poll shows far right failing to connect
By John Chase Tribune staff reporter Published September 26, 2004
Reeling from scandal and election defeats, the Illinois GOP is locked in an ideological civil war the Republican right blames on a party leadership that has strayed from core beliefs and values.
But a Tribune/WGN-TV poll of Republican voters in the state suggests it may be the most conservative elements of the party who are out of step.
While the right wing is dismayed by the direction of the party under moderate state GOP Chairman Judy Baar Topinka, most Republican voters in the state are happy with her leadership, the survey found. In addition, the poll shows most Republicans are not consumed by the socially conservative causes championed by the party's right.
Although some on the GOP right insist party candidates should focus on issues such as abortion and gun-owners' rights, most Republicans surveyed rank those topics at the bottom of their list of concerns. In fact, when asked to list the traditional Republican issue that they cared most about, almost one-third said military defense--far more than for any other topic.
That disconnect between the moral crusade of the Republican right and the party's mainstream may be one key reason why the party's decision to import fiery conservative talk show host Alan Keyes as its U.S. Senate candidate appears headed toward electoral disaster.
(Excerpt) Read more at chicagotribune.com ...
It sounds like Topinka and the Tribune are on a crusade to silence conservative voices in this state.
Welcome to Free Republic. Interesting first post.
What's your opinion?
Already posted.
Alan Keyes is doing a good enough job of that himself.
How did Keyes get in there in the first place? I heard Topinka had something to do with getting Jack Ryan out.
A little off subject, I do remember in the Gov. race in 98, the democrat candidate was more conservative then the disgraced Ryan. He was pro Life and a 2nd amendment supporter
I used to be a member but my ID was scrapped I guess. I missed a revamp or something. I think this whole thing with Keyes is so interesting. But his presence is exposing all the cracks in Ill. politics. I am also amazed at how people on one hand call him brilliant and on the other call him a nutball. It's so amazing the vast differences in opinion of a man who is obviously well educated.
Lastly if I posted this in the wrong area I didn't mean to, I better read up on this posting stuff before I do it wrong again.
You did fine, and as I said, welcome.
Keyes is a lightning rod, but he's a pro-life, pro-constitution Christian, and I don't have any problems with him. He certainly has caused a stir in Daley country.
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