Posted on 12/23/2009 9:27:53 PM PST by Born Conservative
Republicans are trying to woo U.S. Rep. Chris Carney to switch parties, with Sen. John McCain among several GOP leaders making pitches to the Susquehanna County Democrat.
Mr. McCain on Wednesday called Mr. Carney at his home in Dimock Twp. to ask whether he would consider joining the GOP, a Carney spokesman confirmed. The effort to persuade Mr. Carney was first reported by Politico, which quoted a GOP aide who said the party received "a nibble" from Mr. Carney.
But Mr. Carney's spokesman, press secretary Joshua Drobnyk, rebutted that part of the report. Mr. Carney in a statement late Wednesday said he was "flattered" but not interested.
"I appreciate the Republican Party's outreach, but I have no plans to change parties," Mr. Carney said.
Mr. McCain is not the only high-profile Republican to court Mr. Carney. He has also received phone calls from U.S. Rep. Peter Sessions, chairman of the National Republican Congressional Committee, and U.S. Rep. Bill Shuster, a "close friend" who represents a large district in Southcentral Pennsylvania, Mr. Drobnyk said.
Mr. Drobnyk said the GOP push was unexpected.
"Any time you get a call from the former presidential nominee of the Republican Party, it's a surprise," he said.
When asked about his talk with Mr. Carney, Mr. McCain told Politico, "I just said, 'Whatever you do, I know that you'll make the right decision for the country.' "
Mr. Drobnyk confirmed Mr. McCain's message was along those lines. Efforts to reach a spokesman for the senator were unsuccessful.
The 10th District, which Mr. Carney represents, has almost five registered Republicans for every four Democrats, but he won office in 2006 buoyed by voter discontent with incumbent Don Sherwood.
Few Republican candidates have emerged as challengers to Mr. Carney's second re-election bid in 2010. State Rep. Mike Peifer was a leading possibility but dropped out this week.
One person definitely in the race is Malcolm Derk, a Snyder County commissioner, who said Mr. Carney seemed an odd fit for a defection. According to a Washington Post database, Mr. Carney has voted with the Democratic majority 91 percent of the time.
But if national GOP leadership is ready to welcome Mr. Carney, the Republican Party of Pennsylvania cannot say the same. Spokesman Michael Barley said the state party wants to beat Mr. Carney, not convert him.
"We certainly aren't courting him," said Mr. Barley, who thought the wooing from Mr. McCain and others signals the GOP is confident and looking to capitalize on controversy surrounding Democratic spending and the health care overhaul.
Ping
So when is McCain going to switch over and become a Republican?
Does the guy really need to switch parties in order to vote to the advantage of our Liberties?
did mccain ask obozo to change? enough allready
When it is a seat that the GOP has no reasonable expectation to win, these switches are a serious coup.
But when they are in seats that are rightfully ours, it is just another give away.
Well, probably, if he wants to continue to have an office indoors.
Here are threads on the “scandal” that lost the seat Carney now holds: http://www.freerepublic.com/tag/donsherwood/index?tab=articles
“Does the guy really need to switch parties in order to vote to the advantage of our Liberties?”
Yes, unless he wants his arm broke.
And .. the gathering of moderates begins.
If McCain thinks this will bring him the presidency, he’s still fooling himself.
The Tea Partiers are still not going to support McCain.
Good one!
lol! Isn’t this like identifying a double agent? Puts the guy in a pretty bad position....
Ain't it a big cluster f--k. Yep, the corrupt "Two-Party Cartel" again at its best.
However, when a Dem defects, it sends a cold chill down the spine of the other marginal Dems, which might be useful in defeating Obamacare next month.
That’s the whole point. Why do these guys have to vote according to the leadership? They are all sell-outs. A bunch of flim-flam asswipes that need to go the way of the albatross.
McCain is rounding up RINOs to keep him company.
I can't recall, but maybe someone else here can, has there ever been a report in the media about the Dems trying to "steal" a Repub, I mean, before it actually happens?
Ping.
He has my thanks if he can pry a vote away from Reid and the Rats.
God knows we got enough of them.Let’em keep him.
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