Posted on 05/19/2010 4:35:30 PM PDT by MissesBush
Republicans who were already planning their Nancy Pelosi retirement galas for November may want to cancel the caterer. The GOP lost the most important election that was held on Tuesday, and if it fails to learn from the experience the party will lose in the autumn too.
The GOP lost the one race in which a seat in Congress was up for grabs, the contest to replace the late Jack Murtha in the 12th House district in southwestern Pennsylvania. John McCain had carried the seat with 49% of the vote in 2008, President Obama's approval rating was well below 40%, and the national party poured about $1 million into the contest. Yet Republican businessman Tim Burns was crushed by former Murtha aide Mark Critz, 53% to 45%. In a swing district in what is supposed to be a Republican year, that's embarrassing.
What happened? One obvious lesson is that Democrats aren't about to go down without a fight. Mr. Critz was able to use his ties to Murtha to rally his union base and prevail in a low-turnout election. Republicans who were counting on their voters to be more enthusiastic should be concerned that too many stayed home when it counted. Democrats have been reading for months that their majority is in peril, and Tuesday's results showed that they know how to motivate and get out their vote.
Republicans also got outsmarted on message. The GOP's made-in-Washington strategy was to "nationalize" the race by stressing Mr. Critz's Beltway ties and linking him to the Obama agenda on health care, cap and trade, and runaway spending. One problem: Mr. Critz said he was against all of that stuff too. The national Republicans ran TV ads playing up Mrs. Pelosi and Mr. Obama, neither of whom were on the ballot.
(Excerpt) Read more at online.wsj.com ...
They shoulda gone with Russel instead.
There was a grassroots conservative named Russell that had the organization. The Republican party went with Burns instead because he had more money. Shame. Even though it seems Burns is OK, still a shame.
you are reacting...sincerely but wrongly more to the result rather than HOW the Dem won
and how it compares in context
I do agree the GOP should not be cocky
I understand Critz ran to the right of the Republican and that’s how he won. The problem is why the Republican Burns allowed him to get away with it...
I think the question is how the media let a libtard Dem portray himself as a righty...of course that is the usual perplexion isn’t it?
That’s a shame — though typical of the RNC. Real, cohesive grassroots (or, as I now call it, “Tea Roots”) organizing beats big bank accounts almost invariably. The problem is, right now, there are no groups doing it.
This guy did run as a very conservative candidate. The Republicans need to point out that while Dems may run as conservatives, once they get to DC they will vote as they are told to by the ultra-liberal party leadership. I do not know much about the Republican candidate, but I have to wonder if Burns was running as conservative as the Dem and if he pointed out that once the ‘rat gets to DC he will become part of Pelosi’s pack and not keep any of the conservative principles he got elected on.
Good post, I think.
I’m not gloomy about this, though. Burns STILL can do this for the Nov election, and there will be more evidence vs. Critz. I will even go further: I believe that Critz will be even more vulnerable in 2012 for the same reason.
If he does not actually serve as a the “conservative Democrat” that his district attempted to elect Tuesday, he will not last long.
I am hearing that the repub ran on the VAT. The dem ran lying ads saying the repub wanted a 23% VAT without pointing out that the repub wanted 23% VAT instead of income tax.
Of course the dems LIE LIE LIE. Other than that I have no more details.
Pardon me, but Independants DID VOTE in District 12 for the Congressman of their Choice!! You are DEAD WRONG! Independants CANNOT Vote in Demort or Republican Primaries in P.A.! Rebndel picked Tuesday for the Congressional Special Election knowing that he would get a very heavy Democrat Turnout relative to the Republicans because it also happened to be Party Primary Day and the Specter/Sestak Demorat race was hotly contested. Thank you muchly.
Thank you for the clarification of just the latest of the “RENDELL SLEAZY DISPICABLE ACTIONS!” Calling the special Congressional Election on Primary Day and NOT one talking Head mentioned that, not even Beck, Limbaugh or Hannity!
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