Posted on 07/25/2007 5:44:45 AM PDT by Valin
Politico's Jeanne Cummings has a story on the dollar gap that is opening between the Dems and Republicans. It is large and growing, and a complete turnaround from the ordinary situation. So, what is going on?
There are three answers.
First, the top tier GOP presidential candidates are equally matched and there's a lot of money on the sidelines waiting for the main event to begin. When a strong frontrunner emerges who begins to take the campaign to the Dems, especially on the war, the contributions will flow. If Romney is that nominee, expect some serious 527 efforts as well funded by his extraordinarily successful colleagues in the world of investment banking. Rudy Giuliani, too, will not lack for cash if he is the nominee.
The disparity in cash on hand between the campaign committees of Democrats and Republicans in the House and Senate are much more significant, and harder for the GOP to fix. The Dems are enthusiastic about adding to their majority, and recognize that if they can keep if through this cycle it will be theirs for some time. Though pressed by the anti-war fringe into absurd ploys and defeatist rhetoric, the Dems can count on their foot soldiers in the unions and the groups to keep sending in the small contributions, whether by payroll deduction or on a voluntary basis.
The Republicans have a double disadvantage.
Quick, name one GOP House candidate challenging a Democratic freshman. That's the first problem. The House GOP has done almost nothing to present the face of the comeback, and until it does, don't expect a lot of enthusiasm or contributions from the base. Show me 20 Republican challengers, including a bunch of vets with service in Iraq and Afghanistan who are running on a platform of victory, and the House coffers will start to fill.
The problem in the Senate isn't a lack of candidates, it is that some of the candidates are not merely old and uninpsiring, some, like Orgeon's Gordon Smith, have gone over to the defeatist ranks. Others like Domenici of New Mexico and Warner of Virginia sit on the fence. There is simply no way that even the most committed Republican activists are going to give money to the National Republican Senatorial Committee and see it work for Smith's re-election, or the re-election of other Republicans not committed to victory in Iraq.
When the GOP's senate challengers to defeatist incumbent Democrats emerge in Montana, Louisiana, Iowa, and Arkansas to join Bob Schaeffer in Colorado, there will be some rallying to them if they run on a victory platform, but not until then, and then only into the campaigns of the individuals. I got another e-mail from Senator John Ensign today, a good conservative who chairs the NRSC, asking me to contribute to the Committee to help turn back Hillary Clinton's assault on talk radio. Now, you'd think I would respond to that, right? Not a chance, because I know that my contribution would end up helping Gordon Smith. Keeping the Fairness Doctrine at bay means almost nothing compared to a loss in Iraq that allows al Qaeda to establish a new home base, and trying to appeal to donors in any way that ignores the debate over the war will fail. When the GOP caucus in the Senate serves notice that it won't be sending money to the defeatist rump in its midst, then donations will pick up. Until then, save the stamp, or the e-mail.
No leadership + No agenda = No contributions = Go home
Sorry to say that Specter is my senator, although I didn't vote for him. IMO it was a big mistake for Pres Bush and VP Cheney to campaign all over my state of PA for him. Pat Toomey had a real chance until then...
I am not sure to be honest but I would hope not.
I have been returning my requests to renew my membership in the Republican Party, without a check....and with a notice to remove Martinez. However, I will donate to the Republican candidate, who I think promotes Republican, conservative ideals.
I agree!!!!!!!!
That part of the article is raging BS! Either one of those two as the nominee will send the party to the wilderness for 40 years.
I’m sick of campaigns fishing to find out what I want to hear. What I want to hear is what a candidate really believes and I’ll vote for him if I agree with him.
At this point the only one not chasing opinion polls and has consistently held firm positions is Hunter. Tancredo is pretty straightforward as well.
It’s quite simple - I donate to real Republicans. When one shows up, let me know.
Going Independent is a pressure release valve for RINOs. If the GOP doesn’t take care of their people if they don’t provide Leaders with Integrity, and they don’t, than instead of their voters throwing them out of office they want people to vote with their feet and join a third party or go Independent. And that is what the base does. They vote with their feet and leave the GOP and go Independent or joins a third party. There is nothing wrong with letting that pressure build up and result in a changed political system that hopefully results in the return of our platform for the Republicans rather than have them vote with their feet and go to a third party.
Add to that the profligate spending of the GOP-led congress, failure of the administration to mount a strong PR defense of the war, and general disgust with the elitist behavior of politicians.
The difference in fund-raising is that Dems will contribute on the basis of "what's in it for me," with little backlash against spending and scandal, while Republicans, by and large, actually expect their elected officials to act with at least some modicum of consistency and integrity, and not hide under a rock or simply join the other side when the going gets tough.
I agree, I give to individual conservative candidates.
The new Republican campaign slogan for ‘08 “Vote Republican, our candidate doesn’t suck as bad as yours”.
No more f*cking RINO's!!! Get back to the Constitution or go home...
bump
That's easy. They are seriously disillusioned--and infuriated--by the refusal of the current Republican President to enforce U.S. immigration laws, secure the Mexican Border, and halt illegal immigration. That's it.
I think you have Tom Delay mixed up with Trent Lott.
1. You’ve got to be kidding me.
2. Ask. There are plenty of us around who will let them know.
It’s a pattern. He will not listen to his friends and he embraces his enemies.
The answer is that many ‘Pubs are afraid to confidently put forth a conservative message. The Republican “Wise Men” ( Voinovich, Domenici, Warner, et al) remind me of nothing but the Scottish lords in Braveheart.
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