Posted on 10/16/2009 10:34:48 AM PDT by ConservativeMind
Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich (R-Ga.) may have stepped into a political quagmire after endorsing a moderate New York Republican's special election bid.
A host of GOP leaders have tried to distance themselves from the ongoing showdown between Assemblywoman Dede Scozzafava, a centrist Republican, and Doug Hoffman, the local Conservative Party's candidate. But Gingrich offered his perspective to the three-way contest for now-Army Secretary John McHugh's vacant seat on Friday when he became one of only a handful of conservative Republicans to openly back his party's struggling candidate.
“The special election for the 23rd Congressional District is an important test leading up to the mid-term 2010 elections,” Gingrich said of Scozzafava's candidacy in a statement to supporters, as reported by the The Post-Standard. “Our best chance to put responsible and principled leaders in Washington starts here, with Dede Scozzafava.”
Gingrich's key endorsement could spell good news for Scozzafava, heretofore supported only lukewarmly by her own party. Already, the Club for Growth, Concerned Women of America, evangelical leader Gary Bauer, former Sen. Fred Thompson (R-Tenn.) and a host of other GOP supporters and lawmakers have sided with Hoffman, who has recently posted gains in preliminary polls.
By contrast, only about 17 Republicans have even written checks to Scozzafava's campaign, and the party's conference chairman -- Rep. Mike Pence (Ind.) -- has altogether steered clear of the tough race.
At issue for some unsure Republicans seems to be a fear of a possible political backlash. Rep. Jeb Hensarling (R-Tx.) knows that feeling all too well; after he announced his backing for Scozzafava, his conservative base attacked him viciously, specifically harping intimidate details of his personal life.
Gingrich, however, seems not to care about this brewing, inner-party divide. Instead, he championed Scozzafava's candidacy on Friday as the future of the party -- not necessarily the harbinger for a lingering party divide, as some pundits have speculated.
“The Republican Revolution in 1994 started very much like what we see today,” the former speaker said. “Like then, our country is reeling from misguided liberal policies, high taxes and out-of-control spending. This special election in New York’s 23rd Congressional District could be the first election of the new Republican Revolution, but we need the momentum to get it started.”
It is the enemy of the American Way.
Newt just triangulated himself right out of the next republican presidential primary.
Newtered Gingrich. On who’s shelf are his ‘jarred cajones’ sitting?
WOW! Thank you for all those links!
With “Republicans” like THAT, who even NEEDS democrats?
Meanwhile, Wonderful, decent, Conservative, Veterans like Col Allen West, Ed Lynch, and others can’t even get minimal support from the RPOF here in Florida.
It’s tragic.
He endorsed Nelson A. Rockefeller in 1968 too, and this woman makes Nelson look like he was to the right of Goldwater!
Some people did that in MT, MO, and VA in 2006, and the Democrats got three more Senate seats in the process.
If that’s the future of the pubbie party, make mine vanilla. I will NEVER vote for such a candidate and Gingrich has just shot his teeny little pecker off as far as I’m concerned. I would no more trust him with elective office than I would trust some pedo to babysit my granddaughter... Never happen, EVER.
Scozzafava has a page at Project Vote Smart, will a check card of her stances on the issues:
http://www.votesmart.org/npat.php?can_id=22881#515
Not a lot there that thrills me. I wasn’t expecting Barry Goldwater, but she’s not even Olympia Snowe - Snowe at least supports the death penalty.
Sadly, you have two choices:
Republican: slow growth big government
Democrat: fast growth big government
This very race demonstrates exactly what we're talking about. All this talk about taking the party back is just talk from what I see.
We don't donate to the party.
We don't support these candidates.
We don't even agree with these candidates.
And yet we're supposed to vote for them, because they have an R after their name?
I am sorry, but that is the strategy that has gotten our country into this mess. This is the strategy that has put these people in charge of “our party” and put us in a position to have to ‘take our party back?’ If we have not taken our party back by now, after last fall's defeats, we will not take congress back in any meaningful way in 2010. The only thing going to be on the ticket is a bunch of left leaning centrist republicans. Not only are Americans being ignored by DC, they are being ignored by the RNC.
Perhaps it is time to revisit history and learn the lessons of a successful third party overthrow for 2012.
Then put up candidates worth voting for.
Yes, this is the place to start with this election cycle. Just a mere weeks away. Let’s win it.
I am done with Newt as well. Good to know where he stands.
For sure. I haven’t trusted him since he failed to follow through on the Contract on /oops/ for America...
If Sarah feels it worthwhile, she will enter the fray.
“...revisit history and learn the
lessons of a successful third party...”
- - -
I must have missed class that day.
What the hell is a 'moderate', anyway? If you don't take a stand on anything; why bother voting?
I'd rather fight than switch!
I assume you moved to the Group Thinker Party, where people never disagree.
That hasbeen pile of crap should shut his pie hole, he’s a nobody!
Of course I will vote for Republicans but I will not vote for them because they are Republicans. Those days are finished.
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