Posted on 05/17/2014 6:53:22 AM PDT by cotton1706
Republican Rep. Ralph Hall of Texas, who has served 34 years in office and at age 91 is the oldest U.S. representative in history, faces the fight of his career in a May 27 runoff.
His opponent, former U.S. attorney John Ratcliffe, 48, insisted to Newsmax that "I haven't made his age an issue and I wouldn't make it an issue."
Contrary to many reports, however, the Ratcliffe-Hall showdown is not a tea party vs. Republican establishment battle. Sources in Texas' 4th Congressional District told Newsmax that local tea party groups are split down the middle. All 18 Republican county chairmen in the Northeast Texas district are supporting Hall.
While Ratcliffe has the backing from important national groups such as the Club for Growth, Hall has been endorsed by such pivotal conservative figures as former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee, Republican Rep. Michele Bachmann of Minnesota, and Jim Martin, head of the 60 Plus Association.
Recalling that Hall was an early supporter of 60 Plus' efforts to end the estate tax, Martin also pointed out to Newsmax that, with the retirement of veteran Rep. John Dingell, a Michigan Democrat, a re-elected Hall would be the lone World War II veteran in Congress.
"This is Ralph Hall's last mission," said Martin, "and we know we'll count on him to be firing away at the death tax in the next session of Congress."
Most recently, Hall has picked up the endorsement of the entire Texas Republican delegation in the House, as well as Rep. Trey Gowdy, a South Carolina Republican, who was just tapped to be chairman of the select committee investigating Benghazi.
Steadfastly insisting that Hall's age is not the issue, Ratcliffe said it's his 34 years in Congress that's the problem.
(Excerpt) Read more at newsmax.com ...
The TEA Party groups are split down the middle?
WTF?
Isn’t 34 years in office enough to convince them?
34 years wasn't quite enough to tackle that issue?
Yup. And Gingrich just endorsed Hall.
They will do absolutely ANYTHING to prevent any conservative from getting into the congress. They can tell Hall how to vote and he’ll do so. Not so with a young, energetic, conservative.
Trey Gowdy? Michele Bachman? C’mon, y’all...We the People are sick and tired of career politicians. It was never meant to be a career!
91 years old, and has served 34 YEARS in Congress....enough, already.
When even Dingell has decided to quit and repent before death, it’s time Texans fire this old coot.
But what is Trey Gowdy doing endorsing this Democrat fossil???
34 years is enough!
Retire already.
You have absolutely no idea what you are talking about.. Ralph Hall was fighting the good fight from within the Democrat Party until they threw him out.. He voted against his party every time they wanted a total approval.. Ha!
He has been the only true Conservative in the House when being a Conservative Republican in Texas was almost unknown..
To throw out this man, who is a sure thing in Conservative politics, to an relative unknown, is near Blasphemy..
bump
WHAT? You are an idiot or a troll, which is it? I think I'll watch you closer..
Please do some homework on who you are talking about.. Please, it will change your mind.. Really..
Not just no but Hell NO.. I would clone this fine man if I could, and I'll put my Conservative credentials up against any Conservative any day..
Yeah.
Sounds like a bunch if blow hards slamming the nonagenarian and this Ratcliffe guy just trying to be an opportunist.
“To throw out this man, who is a sure thing in Conservative politics, to an relative unknown, is near Blasphemy.”
Well let’s look at his voting record, shall we? Just for last year:
79% (Average)- 72%(Heritage)- 74%(CFG)- 88%(ACU)- 82% (FreedomWorks)
Yeah, he’s a real scorched-earth, take no prisoners conservative who (though he’s 91!) will take the fight to the democrats!/sarcasm.
Wake up!! These people should not be staying in office for life! John Dingell, John Conyers, Henry Waxman, Thad Cochran, Ted Stevens, Orrin Hatch, Ted Kennedy, John Warner, Mitch McConnell, Harry Reid, Robert Byrd, and on and on.
God forbid that the people of Texas should be represented by somebody else before Ralph Hall dies. For only then should they be allowed to choose a replacement! That’s aristocratic, not democratic.
All 18 Republican county chairmen in the Northeast Texas district are supporting Hall.
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It’s hard to get off that tit when you’ve been sucking on it for 34 years. DUMB A**ES
This is just some knee-jerk reaction to his 34 years in office, with no thought on what he has done for those 34 years.
As a very conservative constituent, I can’t see anything to genuinely complain about Hall. His only downside is holding office 34 years. Don’t fix something that ain’t broke.
Too old. (And coming from a really old person)
Retire him.
Also helping..Newt, Huckabee..
Go figure??
Rep. Hall is just as liable for the $17.5 T deficit as anyone... I call that "broke".
He switched to "R" only when he saw the tea leaves change.
34 years is enough...new blood is needed in DC.
Arizona has Texas beat on time on the public tit by Sen Carl Hayden who served in public office of some sort from 1902 to 1969. A democrat, of course, Hayden continually went for the money, first running for Maricopa County Sheriff instead of continuing as County Treasurer because there was more money in the Sheriff’s job. He became U. S. Rep when the territory became a state and then a Senator as a better job in the 20s. I remember the frail old man showing up at the Pinal County Fair to shake hands and campaign. What a life. He amassed huge power in the Senate and was a key ally of LBJ.
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