Posted on 08/04/2005 10:19:28 AM PDT by Tumbleweed_Connection
Former House speaker Newt Gingrich warned fellow Republicans to pay special heed to the GOP’s narrow victory in the August 2 special election in Ohio.
Democrat Paul Hackett, an Iraq war veteran and critic of President Bush’s Iraq policy, came just 3,573 votes short of upsetting Republican Jean Schmidt in a solidly GOP congressional district in southwestern Ohio, according to unofficial returns.
The two competed to fill the vacancy created when Republican Rep. Bob Portman resigned to become U.S. trade representative.
Schmidt had been heavily favored in a district that has been in Republican hands for nearly 40 years, the Washington Post reports.
President Bush carried the district with 64 percent of the vote last year. Schmidt garnered only 51.7 percent.
The outcome "should serve as a wake-up call to Republicans, and I certainly take it very seriously in analyzing how the public mood evidences itself,” said Gingrich.
"Who is willing to show up and vote is different than who answers a public opinion poll. Clearly, there’s a pretty strong signal for Republicans thinking about 2006 that they need to do some very serious planning and not just assume that everything is going to be automatically okay.”
Gingrich said the public mood heading into next year’s midterm election seems to be hurting Republicans.
"There is more energy today on the anti-Iraq, anti-gas-price, anti-changing Social Security and I think anti-Washington [side]. I think the combination of those four are all redounding to weaken Republicans and help Democrats.
"I don’t think this is time to panic, but I think it’s time to think.”
Republican officials in Washington downplayed the election results, saying the race carried no significant implications for the 2006 elections, according to the Post.
They noted that special elections are often poor indicators of election trends and they saw nothing to indicate real unhappiness with the president or Republican congressional leadership.
But Jason Mauk, political director for the Ohio Republican Party, acknowledged: "To the extent that voters in that district were sending a message to the Republican Party at the state or national level, we have heard that message and we will continue to listen to their concerns.”
By the way, have you moved on to a new girlfriend yet?
To be vigilant and concerned is good. However, I think this special election is being over analyzed. You can't divine conclusions from something as atypical as this.
Yeah, they're doin' GREAT! How's your best friend Hillary? Does she pay you much to help her appear "moderate"?
Rush made the point that this should have been a slam dunk win for the Republican. Many Congressional Republicans are a bit smug with their power and this can lead to complacency which in turns leads to lost elections.
Newt is now a full class graduate of the John "FACETIME" McCampaign school of MSM asskissing.
Way to go Newt and here's your diploma.
The Republican winner was, like useless Newt, a RINO. She voted for every Ohio tax increased proposed by RINO Gov. Taft.
Ideologically she was her opponent's soulmate.
Stupid Newt joins the Democrats on this ridiculous assessment of the Ohio election outcome.
I think the public mood is being driven largely by anger over illegal immigration. Few topics get more angry discussion on this forum and I see it all over the net. The GOP better pull their heads out because they have done nothing.
Hey Newt have a BIG steaming cup of STFU!
Had Jean Schmidt won by a large to very large percentage, the spin would have been that the dims expected the loss, after all, she won in a heavily Republican congressional district. Oh, I forgot, possible voter fraud.
This is just what we need.
The GOP is its own worst enemy. The stupid party indeed.
I am beginning to understand why some of GWB's actions seem so timid. The coalition between the Country Club boys and the new conservatives must be a lot more fragile than I thought. This does not explain Newt's little outburst here, I know, but it is amazing how much work the GOP makes for itself. What was that 11th Commandment again?
McCain, Specter, that idiot that cried about Bolton (cannot even bear to remember his name) and now Newt.
Newt is too smart not to realize what really went on in this election, as he is too smart to think that making nice with Hilary helps the conservative cause. Not enough attention? A proprietary impulse toward the conservative movement? You got me.
W wins 52-48, it's a mandate. Schmidt wins 52-48, and it's a moral victory for the Dems. I'm having trouble with the math, here.
Agreed. Who was it who said, "All politics are local"? I have no idea, but could it be that there were a lot of local and personality factors involved in this race which made it close?
I agree. Never take winning for granted. Remember we need all kinds of conservatives to win. Work together. But, no need for panic.
I thought that was the dems since they are led by their emotions rather than principal.
Newt should go back to huggin' up to the hildebeast! He has grown into quite a "beltway Republican". He is a has been. He should join forces with dick morris... birds of a feather!
LLS
Actually, Rush said that more dims voted than pubbies... and the dim still lost!
LLS
And I'll second what someone posted above about all politics being local. The GOP candidate wasn't exactly the second coming of Reagan, if you know what I'm saying.
And a former Speaker helps Democrats too
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