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.”
I would suggest that we find some high level people to join us, and hold a summit in Washington, D.C., dedicated to putting the party on record, with the intent to replace it’s leadership.
Part of the process should be to make a declaration of values that people can get behind and support. It would require a funding base. It would involve selecting good candidates and supporting them from the body that replaces the RNC RINO donations base.
As these people gain power, we simply infiltrate and overturn the Republican Party.
We should look at how the vilest part of the Democrat party took control back in the early 70s.
We also need to implement and coordinate Conservative programs at every level of public and government agencies. Our University hiring departments need to get severe pushback.
The move to redefine our values as a nation in our textbooks, should be destroyed.
I wouldnt give RINOs and the GOP Establishment the sweat off my ass. They have little to no credibility with me, and I will no longer be swayed by this "OH! MY! But you will give the election to the DEMOCRAT!" crap, I hear when there is a Conservative Alternative to the RINO in the race. We have debated it for over 10 years here on FR, and now it is time to stop talking and time to take action.
For that matter why don’t prominent conservatives just proclaim that they are the American centrists? Why continue to fall into the left’s trap and keep referring to themselves as the right? Paint the left with their own brush. They are the radical far left and we are the common sense middle. Just say it and make them justify sticking needles in babies heads and sucking their brains out as not radical.
Every time Newt is on Sean or the radio I turn it off.
I feel you brother. Made the same decision almost two years ago. True conservatives (not simply those with an "R" after their name) are invited to solicit my vote, moderates need not apply.
With all due respect, you are in denial.
The list is long, the group of Congressional Members that defeat us at every turn. Instead of bringing one more of those on board, Gingrich should be looking for ways to install sound people in Congress.
That he isn’t, tells you all you need to know about him.
He does/at least did have some very sound ideas, but if you can’t count on him to do the right thing, what does that to to help us? Well, it actually leads to our defeat.
I can’t tolerate that type of thing in any way shape or form. Those days are so over!
Hopefully Palin will talk with Fred Thompson and figure this out. A joint appearance up there with her and Fred would be huge.
Maybe it's the fact that she has won the Margaret Sanger Award?
Gingrich is a man of the past.
Yep, just as we were told how important it was to reelect Snowe (R), Collins (R), and Specter (R ...at the time).
For this conservative, Newt's worn out his welcome.
Gingrich just needs to butt the hell out of politics. He had a run of about 5 good years. But that run ended in 1994. Since then he has been an unprincipled prima donna.
Get lost, you idiot
Gingrich is a sexual predator and a lech.
seen this?
moderate is just code for left winger.
Gingrich is dumping america.
I don’t even want to see him on fox news any more. He is as dead as david rhodam gergan.
Now THAT would wake some folks up on the national scene and scare the crap out of the RNC, which quite frankly, DOES need the RINO Crap scared out of it. I cannot imagine a single Freeper who would be opposed to this idea. And if they were opposed, I doubt then they would be a Freeper, certainly not a conservative.
Gingrich is starting a 3rd Party using RNC funds.
LOVE it and stole it! Thanks!
This Gingrich asshat has GOT TO GO.
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