Posted on 05/11/2010 10:25:12 PM PDT by FTJM
Despite a favorable electoral climate for Republicans and former Rep. Rob Portman's huge funding advantage over his Democratic opponent in the contest for Ohio's U.S. Senate seat, polls show the race in a dead heat.
Conservatives and "tea party" activists say Mr. Portman's record as a moderate Republican has failed to fire up not only core GOP voters but also what may prove just as important to victory - the "tea party" movement. Complicating the picture is the failure of that movement to meet expectations in some of the May 4 Ohio GOP primary elections.
Mr. Portman's resume, though extensive, has elements that raise red flags for conservatives - his service in the White House of President George H.W. Bush, who raised taxes and enlarged government; his election to six terms in the U.S. House, where he voted for the kind of spending that tea party supporters oppose; and his service as U.S. trade representative and then budget director in the big-spending George W. Bush administration.
"The tea party sees Portman as the establishment's guy, so the GOP establishment now is saying, 'Don't dismiss him just because he's a party guy,' " Ralph King, a coordinator for the Ohio Tea Party Patriots, told The Washington Times. "But that's asking us to look past his record - giving money to the United Nations and opposing [Colorado Republican] Tom Tancredo's try for a border measure in Congress."
(Excerpt) Read more at washingtontimes.com ...
Boy...that Sarah is really on a roll, isn’t she!! Endorses yet ANOTHER Rhino.
Who else is there in this race?
Palin is completely done. She is over.
There is a band called Minus the Bear.
>>Boy...that Sarah is really on a roll, isn’t she!! Endorses yet ANOTHER Rhino.<<
I think somewhere along the way she has muddled the Reagan Credo.
It may be tough, but I think the Tea Party Bright Line of adherence to Conservative Principles will pay off — we may not get it all in 2010 but 2012 can be ours.
Portman is far from the ideal candidate, but anyone else would be a gift to the Democrats. For governor, Kasich still leads in the polls, but the last one I've seen had the incumbent closing, which is SHOCKING considering unemployment is well into the double digit in the Northwest and Northeast parts of the state.
Thanks. As far as I can tell, he is the only one running on the GOP side. I’m not sure what some people expect in this case. For Palin to endorse the rat?
vaudine
Portman is pretty good. Not perfect but good. He is the only viable peson running in OH. No foul here by Palin
For all practical purposes, he is. He has built a nice war-chest as well, which he'll need to beat the growing and well-organized Ohio Dem machine..
I haven't heard anyone else's name in months & months as a candidate for Senate. Most any Republican who had statewide name recognition were damaged in a big Ohio Republican political scandal from 2003/2004. Those wounds still haven't healed. Because Portman was in Washington at the time, he escaped the scandal. Oddly enough, being a Washington insider, is actually a plus for a Republican because it insulates them for the Ohio state Republican scandals.
:)
Where is Palin’s endorsement?
According to the Ohio GOP website, he is the only one. Unless there’s a write-in candidate.
Neither candidate.
This is another John McCain, Inc, plant.
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