Posted on 06/02/2009 12:24:55 PM PDT by neverdem
Striking again at the already beleaguered Republican Party, President Barack Obama today will announce the appointment of Rep. John McHugh (R-N.Y.) as secretary of the Army.
In tapping McHugh, the top Republican on the House Armed Services Committee, Obama sidelines yet another senior GOP lawmaker.
The veteran congressman from upstate New York joins his former colleague from Illinois, Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood, and Utah Gov. Jon Huntsman, the ambassador-designate to China, among the ranks of Republicans in the Obama administration, a list that nearly included New Hampshire Sen. Judd Gregg as Commerce Secretary. And McHugh’s appointment comes just over a month after administration officials helped push veteran Pennsylvania Sen. Arlen Specter to switch from a Republican to a Democrat.
“The president has made an outstanding choice in John McHugh on his credentials,” said former Rep. Tom Reynolds (R-N.Y.), who also represented upstate New York. “He’s a leading expert on Armed services that members on both sides of the aisle respect. ... On any major issue on armed services, I wanted to hear John McHugh’s opinion.”
Speculation had swirled over McHugh’s political future and whether he intended to run for reelection next year.
McHugh has won reelection with ease — taking 65 percent last year — but his successor may have a more difficult time in a district that Obama carried — something that surely didn’t go unnoticed by the president’s aides.
McHugh’s departure — which leaves only two Republicans in the 29 seat New York congressional delegation — sets off a likely fight for his seat, which Obama carried over Republican John McCain in November 52 percent to 47 percent. Sources say McHugh’s chief of staff, Robert Taub, is likely to be an early frontrunner for the Republican nomination.
“This seat is one of the best opportunities for Democrats to pursue now that McHugh out of the way,” said Reynolds, who is also a former chairman of the National Republican Congressional Committee. “Already we’re watching the Democrats downplay their chances but make no mistake, you can bet they’ll be as forceful as this as they were in NY 20 [special election].”
Logistically, McHugh is leaving the Armed Services Committee at a disastrous time. The defense authorization bill was already delayed given it’s the first year in a new administration. McHugh’s departure comes one week before the defense authorization bill was scheduled to begin a markup.
Rep. Mac Thornberry (R-Texas) is emerging as an early favorite to replace McHugh on the Armed Services Committee, but Rep. Buck McKeon (R-Calif.) has already expressed interest in the coveted committee slot as well, according to his spokesman. Thornberry spokesman George Rasley said: "Naturally he's interested. We'll see what procedures Leader Boehner uses to fill the seat."
Sean Sweeney, a veteran of New York politics and top aide to White House chief of staff Rahm Emanuel, hatched the idea of naming McHugh as secretary of the Army, according to a well-placed Democratic soure. Other West Wing officials dispute Sweeney’s role and the official White House posture is to not comment on the politics of the pick.
As with Huntsman, though, White House officials can point to McHugh’s sterling credentials to make the case that it was not merely a political stroke.
Respected on both sides of the aisle, McHugh represents a North Country district that includes Ft. Drum, home of the Army’s 10th Mountain Division, and has become an authority on the military, especially personnel and infrastructure issues.
McHugh, who has never served in the military, replaces Army Secretary Pete Geren, who was a holdover from the Bush administration and was himself a former Democratic member.
Patrick O’Connor, Josh Kraushaar, Jennifer DiMascio and Alex Isenstadt contributed to this story.
Chris Smith must be conservative on abortion but little else.
Since Obama likes to appoint RINO’s, I hope that he’ll nominate my congressman, Mark Kirk (RINO-IL) to be an assistant secretary of state, treasury, or defense.
I didn't know McHugh was that bad, but the rats have been doing that since 2006. It wasn't that long ago when the GOP members were about half of NY's members of Congress.
Well, of course, Patrick Murphy is a liberal. He’s a Democrat, not a Republican. Though, with that score, I guess it could be argued that for a Democrat, he’s almost conservative.
McHugh is one of the most liberal Republicans in the House (60% liberal-40% Conservative in 2008). 1963-1965 was the last time NY Republicans had a majority of the House delegation (21R-20D).
Thanks for the ping!
"I know your deeds. I know you are neither hot nor cold. How I wish you were one or the other, hot or cold! But because you are lukewarm, neither hot nor cold, I will vomit you out of my mouth." (Rev 3:15-16).
Yes, I was an active Republican in his district back when he got the seat. He was never a solid conservative, but is now bad on most everything except pro-life issues. His district is based on the Trenton area.
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