Establishment people, fighting the revived conservative movement, and look at who is still in leadership, and who is fighting to keep out penetration from even one single outsider.
House Republicans may face a ‘civil war’ over Scozzafava bid
By Reid Wilson - 10/15/09
The House GOP conference is bitterly divided over a centrist New York Republican’s run for the House seat vacated by Army Secretary John McHugh.
Assemblywoman Dede Scozzafava, who backs abortion rights and has voiced support for gay rights, has drawn a challenger from the right who is running on the Conservative Party line. And though House leaders have urged conference members to donate, many have pointedly refused to back Scozzafava.
The Club for Growth, Concerned Women of America, former Sen. Fred Thompson (R-Tenn.) and evangelical leader Gary Bauer have all endorsed Doug Hoffman, the Conservative Party candidate.
The divide could foreshadow bigger troubles ahead for a party that hopes to make big gains in the House in 2010 and dreams of taking back the majority. Some members think that will be impossible as long as the party is divided over supporting centrist candidates.
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Just 17 members — about 10 percent of the GOP conference — have written checks to Scozzafava’s campaign. They include House Minority Leader John Boehner (R-Ohio), Minority Whip Eric Cantor (R-Va.), National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC) Chairman Pete Sessions (Texas) and Rep. Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.), who is in charge of recruiting candidates to run next year.
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In an effort to prove Scozzafava can attract conservatives, Sessions pushed Rep. Jeb Hensarling (R-Texas) to step up and endorse her. After his announcement, Hensarling took shots from some prominent conservative blogs and media outlets, with some going so far as to lob unfounded charges about Hensarling’s personal life.
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Hensarling declined to be interviewed about his endorsement of Scozzafava. A spokesman said he had nothing to add to his statement, issued last Friday.
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Wednesday night, most of the House GOP leadership, including Boehner, Cantor, McCarthy, Sessions, conference Vice Chairwoman Cathy McMorris Rodgers (Wash.) and conference Secretary John Carter (Texas) hosted a fundraiser for Scozzafava at the home of ex-Rep. Nancy Johnson (R-Conn.).
Divide and conquer, sweet thing, and the dems will win again.
I like both candidates, one a smart young lady with a great public persona and well delivered ideas, the other a smart young man and great steward who administers our nations finances.