Posted on 12/10/2009 5:20:09 PM PST by pissant
Sen. Jim DeMint (R-S.C.) inched his way further into the 2010 Senate races Thursday, endorsing a member of the Texas Railroad Commission for the seat that might be vacated by Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchinson (R-Texas.) in her run for governor.
In the blistering cold with the Capitol as a backdrop, DeMint threw his weight and the weight of his Senate Conservatives Fund behind Michael Williams, an African-American who served in both the Reagan and first Bush administrations. Williams said he’s looking to come to Washington to “stop the slouch toward European-style socialism.”
DeMint said he’s looking to pull the Republican Party back where America is.
Hutchison is challenging Gov. Rick Perry in next year’s GOP gubernatorial primary, but she has set no firm date for resigning her Senate seat.
Williams, DeMint said, fits his criteria: a “New Republican,” who can “come to Washington and stand up for constitutional government, a balanced budget and principals of liberty that made this country great.”
The endorsement is a move that may cause some consternation among the brass of the National Republican Senatorial Committee – run by Texas Sen. John Cornyn, who’s still very much involved in the politics of his state.
The NRSC has not yet endorsed a candidate there. Its spokesman, Brian Walsh, said there are a number of contenders and he’s confident that the Senate seat will remain in Republican hands should it open up.
DeMint, a favorite of tea partiers, said he’ll raise money for Williams on his PAC's Web site, alongside other endorsees Marco Rubio of Florida, Chuck DeVore of California and Pat Toomey of Pennsylvania.
DeMint said his endorsements have “never been a purity test or anything about a litmus test”’ – a slight jab at the some Republicans, who recently announced support of a purity test for its members.
DeMint asserted that his movement is one that has support across the country. He’s not just a “small voice speaking in Washington,” he said, but rather he’s “speaking on behalf of millions of Americans.”
A GOP strategist, however, said the latest endorsement by DeMint “means absolutely nothing” in Texas and only serves to further the Democratic narrative that Republicans are at war for the future of their party.
“I don’t expect the people in Texas, or in any other state, to vote the way I suggest they vote,” DeMint said. “But what we hope we can do is bring to the country’s attention is there are great choices out there, regardless of their party.”
>> DeMint threw his weight and the weight of his Senate Conservatives Fund behind Michael Williams
Good choice, IMHO.
Michael Williams is one of the good guys.
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DeMint knows what's what--i.e., the current GOP (old Republicans) have lost the thread.
I had to laugh at the anonymous GOP strategist in this article who slammed DeMint for daring to endorse a conservative candidate. :)))
The more I see/hear from DeMint, the more I like him.
DeMint is fearless, and he is savvy. He’s looking like a guy we need to browbeat into running in 2012.
I hope this guy really is a conservative. We don’t need more faux conservatives like Michael Steele.
Count me in. I haven’t done hours of research (yet), but from what I’ve seen, he’s fantastic and would make a great president.
His only real black mark, like the one I see on Hunter, was endorsing Flipper during the primary. Alas, everyone who runs will have similar baggage. LOL
Have I seen Williams on FNC?
I hope so too. Chances are, if the National Republican Senatorial Committee is concerned about DeMint endorsing this guy, then the guy is conservative.
Yeah, I wasn’t thrilled when I heard that, but I’m willing to let it go. As long as his actual votes are in the right place, I can overlook an occasional endorsement lapse.
DeMint was anti-TARP back when most of the GOP was in a pro-TARP spending frenzy—that’s a big litmus test for me.
I think DeMint is jumping the gun but I understand he's trying to cut off nominees but everything here has been thrown into disarray because filing is ongoing for the Mar. 2, 2010 primary. Had Hutchison stepped down in the fall as she first indicated then we may would know some of the other potential candidates as they wouldn't be filing for their current position, etc. Sort of a mess at this time.
Both Hunter and DeMint proposed their very own free-market alternative plans for dealing with the banking ‘crisis’. Both were utterly ignored by the GOP leaders in their respective chambers. I’m still fuming about that horsesh*t!!!
Hells bells. If he can get this guy to take out KBH, I’ll send him the finest bottle of scotch I can find.
I think he might have been on FNC back during last years republican convention.
But he isn’t running against KBH. Her term isn’t up until 2012. This endorsement is for a special election if she resigns. If she loses to Perry then she may not resign at all and stay until her term ends in 2012.
Whatever his merits, that’s one damned weird-looking picture....
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