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Congressional Republicans backing more insurgent candidates
The Hill ^
| 1/09/10
| Aaron Blake
Posted on 01/09/2010 3:45:10 PM PST by mdittmar
A growing number of GOP members are bucking the party and backing non-establishment candidates in this years primary elections.
Many are feeling liberated, particularly after seeing Conservative Doug Hoffman drive centrist Republican Dede Scozzafava out of the New York special election.
Sen. Jim DeMint (R-S.C.) has drawn the most attention for supporting Marco Rubio in Floridas Senate race and Chuck DeVore in Californias. But now, other members of Congress are also backing candidates running against establishment favorites hundreds of miles away.
In Rep. Glenn Nyes (D-Va.) district this week, two primary candidates running against national party-favored businessman Scott Rigell drew congressional endorsements. Rep. Dan Burton (R-Ind.) backed former Navy SEAL Scott Taylor, while Rep. Lincoln Diaz-Balart (R-Fla.) endorsed businessman Ben Loyola.
Also this week, Rep. Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) endorsed Rubio, and Rep. Devin Nunes (R-Calif.) endorsed former Rep. Richard Pombo (R-Calif.).
Nuness backing came as seven members of the states GOP delegation endorsed state Sen. Jeff Denham. Denham has been touted by the national GOP, while Pombo is seen as having severe electoral liabilities stemming from his 2006 loss in a neighboring district.
In spurning their party leaders, Burton, Diaz-Balart, Ryan and Nunes join Rep. Aaron Schock (R-Ill.), who two months ago endorsed real estate developer Armando Gutierrez. Gutierrez, who is one of a number of Republicans challenging Rep. Alan Grayson (D-Fla.), has rubbed GOP leaders in Washington the wrong way.
The members reasons for endorsing the insurgent candidates vary from case to case. Nunes served alongside Pombo and is close with him, while Diaz-Balart and Loyola are both Cuban-Americans.
Diaz-Balart noted his common background with Loyola in announcing his endorsement.
His family fled totalitarianism in Cuba for a life of freedom in America, said Diaz-Balart, who fled with his own family from Cuba. I know Ben Loyola will be a key voice as we work to strengthen the free enterprise system to create jobs for the American people.
Its not the first time Diaz-Balart has shunned the establishment with his endorsement. He and his brother, Rep. Mario Diaz-Balart (R-Fla.), both recently withdrew their endorsements from Rubios opponent, Florida Gov. Charlie Crist (R). They havent backed Rubio, but they and other conservative Republicans in Congress might be tempted to do so in the coming months.
Rep. Ryan on Wednesday joined Sens. DeMint and Jim Inhofe (R-Okla.) to become the first out-of-state House member to take the bait. (Florida Republican Reps. Jeff Miller and Ginny Brown-Waite have also backed Rubio.)
In announcing his support, Ryan emphasized conservatism, which has been the main line of attack on Crist.
Marco Rubio has proven he is exactly the type of consistent, principled conservative the Republican Party needs to ensure the relationship between the federal government and the individual is one that maximizes freedom and prosperity, Ryan said.
Ryan also sent a $2,500 contribution to Rubio through his political action committee, while Burton has promised to hold a fundraiser for Taylor.
Burtons situation is particularly interesting, considering he faces a difficult primary to hold his seat this year. By alienating national party leaders with such an endorsement, he could conceivably alienate people who could help him win renomination this year. At the same time, the national party is unlikely to spend money on an incumbents primary in a safe district.
Lincoln Diaz-Balart has also been targeted, in his case, by Democrats. But his support for fellow Cuban-American candidates is not all that surprising, and he is not likely to upset party leaders for it. Rubio is Cuban-American.
Paul Lindsay, a spokesman for the National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC) said GOP members are exercising their independence.
Just like primary voters, House Republican members have the freedom to choose who they feel is the best candidate to take on Democrats in these races," Lindsay said.
TOPICS: Constitution/Conservatism; News/Current Events; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: 111th; congress; elections; incumbents; insurgents; primaries; primary
Well,that puts a new wheel on the wagon,don't it.
1
posted on
01/09/2010 3:45:11 PM PST
by
mdittmar
To: mdittmar
We the people are awake and watching... and soon to vote.
2
posted on
01/09/2010 3:47:36 PM PST
by
avacado
To: mdittmar
“Centrist” Dede Scozzafava? The Hill is a lying DNC progaganda rag. She was a flat out liberal.
To: mdittmar
So a socialist Democrat masquerading as a Republican is now defined as a "centrist" by the Democrat Party run media.
4
posted on
01/09/2010 3:53:54 PM PST
by
StormEye
To: avacado
Dede a Centerist? No No No. She was and is a communist. The Democrat is a far more centralist than she was! BUT New York 23 set the template we can follow to victory.
A) RNC picks a Conservative—support and vote for them.
B) In The GOP Primary support the Conservative.
C) If the RNC picks a RINO/Leftist POS The Tea Parties should support a Conservative running on a 3rd Party. Like the Constutiona Party or Conservative Party of Reform etc... They will vote with Conservative Republicans if elected. In this way we need set up no 3rd Party and we can root out the Rinos in the GOP. They only race it will not work for is President.
To: mdittmar
Talking about NY-23, will Doug Hoffman run again in November? I think he can win this time. Or, there are other candidates emerge in the primary?
6
posted on
01/09/2010 4:17:39 PM PST
by
paudio
(Road to hell is paved by unintended consequences of good intentions)
To: mdittmar
Many are feeling liberated, particularly after seeing Conservative Doug Hoffman drive centrist radical leftist Republican Dede Scozzafava out of the New York special election. There fixed it.
7
posted on
01/09/2010 4:24:28 PM PST
by
Nuc1
(NUC1 Sub pusher SSN 668 (Liberals Aren't Patriots))
To: paudio
Don’t know what’s going on in New York,I’m working local.
8
posted on
01/09/2010 4:25:45 PM PST
by
mdittmar
(May God watch over those who serve,and have served,to keep us free (http://teapartypatriots.org)
To: mdittmar
Good news! The bad statist/good statist con game is getting very old.
9
posted on
01/09/2010 6:14:28 PM PST
by
PGalt
To: PGalt
Glad to see some legislators exhibiting independence - may there be many more.
10
posted on
01/09/2010 8:05:27 PM PST
by
Think free or die
(The problem with socialism is that you eventually run out of other people's money - M.Thatcher)
To: mdittmar
The political world of conservative Americans during the last 14 months would have looked totally different if Palin had not come out of the 2008 election flexing her conservative muscle, and taking on the media head to head, she helped shape, lead, and embolden, a quick, ever more confident, conservative resurgence.
11
posted on
01/10/2010 11:02:10 AM PST
by
ansel12
(anti SoCon. Earl Warren's court 1953-1969, libertarian hero, anti social conservative loser.)
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