Posted on 05/07/2009 12:03:33 PM PDT by calcowgirl
For those writing Republican centrism’s obituary after Arlen Specter’s party switch, holster your quills.
In fact, if the next few weeks go well for the GOP, it might pave the way for a whole new chapter in the left flank of the right-leaning party.
The month of May will be huge, recruiting-wise, for Senate Republicans, with decisions expected from several big-name candidates, including Florida Gov. Charlie Crist, former Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Ridge, Rep. Mark Kirk (Ill.) and possibly Rep. Mike Castle (Del.).
All would instantly be formidable — with Crist and Castle favored at the outset — and all are noted centrists. They would not only give Republicans a chance to win again, but give Republican centrists a chance to be a force again.
Kirk and Castle routinely rank among the top handful of GOP centrists in the House, and Crist and Ridge are already drawing heat from some conservatives for their decidedly middle-of-the-road records as governors.
But those aren’t the only potential GOP candidates with centrist credentials. Two possibilities in New York — former Gov. George Pataki and Rep. Pete King — are also strong examples, as would be former Sen. John Sununu in New Hampshire if he runs. Former Hewlett-Packard CEO Carly Fiorina is strongly indicating that she’ll run in California, and Rep. Jim Gerlach is considering running in Pennsylvania.
Indeed, it seems almost every Republican recruit who will have any chance of winning this cycle will be a centrist.
(Excerpt) Read more at thehill.com ...
"If you repeat a lie often enough, it becomes the truth. "
— Joseph Goebbels
Blatant agitprop from Barry's Ministry of Propaganda.
As Hitler explained in Mein Kampf:
The size of a lie is a definite factor in causing it to be believed, for the vast masses of a nation are in the depths of their hearts more easily deceived than consciously and intentionally bad. The primitive simplicity of their minds renders them a more easy prey to a big lie than a small one, for they themselves often tell little lies but would be ashamed to tell big ones.
Same S**T, different day.
The GOP needs to be stripped down to the grass roots and reconstituted with new folks who really do GET IT.
Third party looking more viable all the time.
I believe Ridge said he will not run.
and former potential senatorial candidate. D'oh
Time to “blow up the team.”
Oh joy! More RINOs. It worked so well last year, let’s try it again.
True. This commentary was posted yesterday at the Hill, before Ridge's announcement.
Thanks for the link McGruff
Dear GOP “Leadership,”
If you go down this road... you will travel alone.
Sincerely,
pgyanke
The time is now!
These people must want everybody to believe that only they can win, and I am beginning to think that these K street boys are deranged.
They are losing in droves, and yet they persist in the same neurotic denial of the facts of those defeats.
former Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Ridge
Sorry, Charlie, that bird has flown the coop. - bye,bye Ridge, hello Toomey
denial is the most predictable of all human response
Appears that Cornyn & Co. aim to lose even more seats.
All others not good...maybe Sununu would be OK.
By installing more centrist leaning dems in repub seats we now have a leftist House and Senate. And, people need to start thinking with their heads here. If you can take out a democrat with a repub who will vote with you most of the time then that’s a lot better than allowing the dems to hold their seat because the more conservative candidate hasn’t a chance in hell of winning.
Or is it more important to have 38 true red conservatives surrounded by 62 democrats in the Senate? I say 38 conservatives plus 13 moderates is a better deal.
Indeed, without my money or vote.
A third party in Congress would be interesting. Would they be allowed to caucus with the Republicans? Or would they be mavericks whose only power is to vote in floor votes?
A third party in the Presidential race would be a spoiler. The US Constitution’s system for electing a president has bequeathed us a two party system, whether the authors intended that or not. If it had to be, I would sooner swallow a RINO or two (with feet held to fire by more conservative Republicans) than to have Obama be Peroted back into office in 2012. But this may not have to be, if, say, Sarah Palin proves a viable GOP candidate.
Pataki? Within a year he would earn the title “dumbest guy in the Senate.”
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