Posted on 09/04/2006 7:18:41 PM PDT by NormsRevenge
WASHINGTON - Republicans who were once cozy with President Bush are distancing themselves from both the president and their party in campaign ads.
Consider Rep. Deborah Pryce (news, bio, voting record), the fourth-ranking House Republican struggling to hold onto her seat in an evenly split district in central Ohio, near Columbus.
In 2004, her campaign Web site featured a banner of her and Bush sitting together, smiling. But in her latest television ad, Pryce is described as "independent." The spot also highlights how she "stood up to her own party" and the president to support increased federal funds for embryonic stem-cell research.
As chairwoman of the House Republican Conference, Pryce rallies colleagues to the party message.
With the election in about two months and Bush's approval ratings still low — 33 percent in the most recent Associated Press-Ipsos poll — Republicans involved in tight races are avoiding party labels and playing down their ties to the president. On issues from the Iraq war to Amtrak spending, GOP candidates are trying to argue that they don't follow in lockstep.
Among some of the ads:
_In Pennsylvania, Republican Rep. Jim Gerlach (news, bio, voting record) tells voters: "When I believe President Bush is right, I'm behind him. But when I think he's wrong, I let him know that, too," Gerlach is in a close contest with Democrat Lois Murphy, who nearly beat him in 2004.
_In Minnesota, where an open Senate seat is at stake, Republican Rep. Mark Kennedy (news, bio, voting record) has an ad titled, "Crossing Party Lines," in which he says: "I'm a Republican. On issues like taxes and spending, I vote like it. But on other issues, I cross party lines." In 2002, in his run for the House, a Kennedy ad showed him walking and shaking hands with Bush at the White House. Today, he lists the issues on which he has split from the president.
_In South Florida, heavily populated by retirees, Republican Rep. Clay Shaw criticizes the president's stalled plans to change Social Security and says in his ad, "I represent the state of Florida, not a political party."
Ed Patru, a spokesman for the House Republican campaign committee, shrugged off the latest ads.
"That's nothing new, that's just being a smart campaigner," said Patru, who argued that the candidates were reinforcing the moderate positions that have helped them win in swing districts.
Democrats naturally have a different view.
"What we're seeing is a number of candidates who embraced Bush in previous elections are now treating him like a leper," said Phil Singer, spokesman for the Senate Democratic campaign organization.
Shanto Iyengar, a campaign advertising expert at Stanford University, said the 1974 midterm elections, in the immediate aftermath of President Nixon's Watergate-driven resignation, were similar to today's advertising atmosphere.
"In most congressional races the conventional wisdom is it's all local," Iyengar said. "But every now and then, it is possible to nationalize these races, and I believe all the stars are in place for that in 2006."
New Mexico pollster Brian Sanderoff, who is closely watching the re-election campaign of Rep. Heather Wilson (news, bio, voting record), a moderate Republican, said that as the president's approval ratings drop, "incumbents are becoming even more clear in expressing their independence or distance from the White House."
In Pennsylvania, Republican Sen. Rick Santorum (news, bio, voting record), No. 3 in the GOP Senate leadership, has stood with the president on scores of issues, from abortion to same-sex marriage to taxes. Trailing his Democratic challenger Bob Casey in the polls, Santorum brags about breaking with the administration on Amtrak money.
"And the White House probably called me a lot of things when I fought their efforts to cut Amtrak funding," Santorum says.
Another vulnerable Senate incumbent, Ohio Republican Mike DeWine, has welcomed the president for two events that raised $2 million. Yet his ads have touted his independence and ability to work with Democrats.
In Missouri, Republican Sen. Jim Talent (news, bio, voting record)'s first ad of 2006 said: "Most people don't care if you're red or blue, Republican or Democrat. ... They care about getting things done."
Talent's opponent, Democrat Claire McCaskill, argues that Talent is trying to "reinvent himself" from 2002, when an ad showed Bush praising Talent.
On the Net:
Deborah Pryce ad: http://www.pryce4congress.com/commercial03.php
Mark Kennedy ad:
http://www.markkennedy.com/
Jim Talent ad, with commentary: http://www.talentforsenate.com/multimedia/details.aspx?id7
In a file photo President Bush stands with Rep. Jim Gerlach, R-Pa., left, during a Republican campaign fundraiser, Wednesday, May 24, 2006 in Philadelphia. Gerlach tells voters: 'When I believe President Bush is right, I'm behind him. But when I think he's wrong, I let him know that, too,' Gerlach is in a close contest with Democrat Lois Murphy, who nearly beat him in 2004. (AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais)
btw,, Gerlach and Pryce are both members of the Republican Main Steet Partnership.
There is no honor in politics.
They should stand and be counted. . .or find another occupation that does not demand leadership.
MORE than pathetic. . .
Click on the state to find out ratings for these and other Congre$$ critters..
The American Conservative Union
http://www.acuratings.org/
This isnt surprising. Republicans have been chicken shits for the last 6 years anyway why should anyone think they would do anything else. The most useless Congress ever to hold a majority. They have taken the majority and turned it into crap.
Took the words out of my fingers. I believe that the congressional GOP is cutting it's throat by turning on the President. I think the polls are wrong. I think the majority of people who voted for Bush would vote for hin again. The dissatifaction reported in the polls are a combination of liberals and conservatives who think Bush should be tougher. I am worried about the election more because there will be so many ethnic groups voting against us. Arabs, Mexicans, Blacks.
If candidates *cut and run* from President Bush, they will not get my vote.
I couldn't have said it better.
I figure voters will vote dem, if that's what they want. Clay shaw has been elected umpteen times, but you would not know from his ads that he is a Republican.
>What ever happened to 'Ya dance with the gal that brung ya'?
Unfortunately once in a while the guy what brought ya steps all over yer feet! If our borders were sealed when we went to war, and no North American Union agreement had been signed, I don't believe any Republicans would desert the president. They wouldn't have to.
As a conservative I'm damn glad these congressmen are distancing themselves from Bush.
If they told me they supported his "open borders" policy which has innundated us with illegals - and endangered national security in an age of international trerrorism.....
If they told me they favored his Big Government spending and the biggest entitlement since LBJ....
If they told me they endorsed his waffle on affirmative action, flip-flop on the steel tariff, and support of some of the worst RINOs in primaries against true conservatives....
Well -- if they stood for all that I'd say they're NOT conservative enough for me!
Here in FL I'm supporting people running for Congress precisely BECAUSE they are distancing themselves.
Islam's war with the west will inevitably bring the US a nuclear strike. The persistent open borders are a hot potato that will utterly destroy the party in power when it happens. I prefer that the borders be closed - but barring that, let the liberals be destroyed if we're not going to move to prevent it.
This is as obvious and foreseeable as the earlier attacks on September eleventh.
Amen. Let us not be stampeded by an AP story, however, let us hold Republican congress critters accountable. Who you going to believe? AP stories, and polls or people who have been voting with you for years?
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