Posted on 06/08/2006 10:24:17 PM PDT by AFA-Michigan
Rep. Mike Simpson (R-Idaho) doesn’t hold back when it comes to his feelings about the race for Idaho’s 1st Congressional District seat, now held by Republican Rep. Butch Otter, who is leaving Congress to run for governor.
Bill Sali, a GOP state representative, recently won the nomination for Otter’s seat. Ever since, Simpson has barely been able to contain his dislike for Sali.
“There’s a serious question about whether he can win the race,” said Simpson, who referred to controversial former Rep. Helen Chenoweth (R), when he added, “He makes Helen look like a dream.”
Sali’s Democratic opponent is Larry Grant, a retired attorney in Boise.
So what about the bad blood between Simpson and Sali? When Simpson was Speaker of the Idaho House, he once threatened to throw Sali out a window after Sali opposed one of Simpson’s amendments.
“I won’t say anything bad about him,” Simpson said. “I won’t campaign against him. I won’t support the Democrat, I’ll say that.”
Sali was unable to comment directly on the matter. His spokeswoman, Jesseca Sali, who is his daughter-in-law, said he is vacationing “in a cabin in the middle of nowhere.” She was uncertain whether the cabin was in Idaho or elsewhere.
Simpson's Congressional phone: 208-334-1953 Simpson's Congressional e-mail: http://www.house.gov/simpson/emailme.shtml
Simpson's an ass. We can't afford to take a single seat for granted.
Sali doesn't vote his way, so he threatens to throw him out a window? gee, who is the problem here?
I Believe Toomey's group supported Sali, so I'm assuming we have a Liberal Republican upset a conservative backed candidate won.
Get used to it Simpson. It's RINO season.
Simpson is upset because the rino Sheila Sorenson that he supported for District 1 lost to a conservative.
Thanks for your post. I was left wondering which one was the "moderate", and I trust Pat Toomey. If he supports Sali, then so do I. And if Simpson doesn't like Sali, then I hope it's nothing more than bad chemistry, and NOT that Simpson is a scumbag "moderate" (liberal).
ACU Rating:
SIMPSON
2005: 92
2004: 92
years: 7
Life: 90
Not too bad, but the lowest of the four Idaho reps.
Sali is very conservative but he's reputed to be personally dislikable, and so the Idaho GOP establishment is quietly (or not so quietly) rooting for him to lose, since at some time or other he's rubbed most of them the wrong way.
Simpson endorsed liberal RINO Sheila Sorensen in the primary. (Sorensen was a guest of honor at a left-wing pro-abortion fundraiser in Manhattan keynoted by Al Franken, and as committee chair, she singlehandedly blocked passage of a Marriage Protection Amendment to the Idaho constitution.
Here's what she said in yesterday's Boise paper:
"Sorensen said she will abstain from voting in the race, but will not join a Republicans for Grant group. '(Sali) was incompetent in the Legislature,' she said. 'In the campaign he proved himself dishonest and deceitful, and he'd be an embarrassment to Idaho.'"
Another disgusting example of the RINO double standard. If conservatives refuse to support some liberal who wins the GOP nomination, they're accused of being "disloyal" to the party. But RINOs reserve unto themselves the right to openly oppose a conservative who wins the nomination. They're hypocrites, plain and simple.
"Another disgusting example of the RINO double standard. If conservatives refuse to support some liberal who wins the GOP nomination, they're accused of being "disloyal" to the party. But RINOs reserve unto themselves the right to openly oppose a conservative who wins the nomination. They're hypocrites, plain and simple."
It's a common side effect of becoming liberalized.
Sali will win without Simpson
ROFLMAO ........
Sounds a lot like Rep Scott Garrett in NJ. Garrett is the only Rep from NJ who can arguably (sort of) be considered outside the political machines. He had about a half dozen Republicans disparage him in tv interviews during his first race, mostly because he wouldn't play the Trenton game of footsies.i
I personally liked Chenoweth, especially during the impeachment and Elian saga. How can a Republican from Idaho use Chenoweth's name as an insult? She was the head of the state party for some long number of years. Says a lot about Simpson's mindset.
I was afraid of this. And I don't think that Mike Simpson will be the only state officeholder to withhold his endorsement. In fact, my fear of this happening is why I didn't support Bill Sali in the primary, even though he's good on the issues.
Robert Vasquez would have been a better candidate. I just hope that in November, I won't have to tell anyone "I told you so."
Simpson is the one that threatened to throw Sali out the window, yet Simpson is claiming Sali is the one that isn't level-headed? And he's insulting a former Republican colleague to boot?
The Club for Growth better continue to stick by him through the general since sour grapes is prevailing on the ground there in Idaho.
A male version of Helen - A vocal conservative who puts a deep red district in play for the RATS?
Absolutely right, Jersey.
I was on Helen's steering committee her first time out. That Simpson uses Helen as a perjorative tells you where he's coming from, his ACU ratings notwithstanding.
Fortunately for me, I voted for Sali in the primaries. I'm not going to be swayed by some silly RINO. Sorry.
there seems to be a lot of bad blood between Sali and the Idaho GOP leadership.
http://www.idahostatesman.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060407/NEWS010702/604070335/1024/NEWS01
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.