GOP Discord in Iowa (Salier v. Ganske)

Robert Novak | 2-09-02 | Robert Novak

[nonliberal]

GOP DISCORD

The national Republican establishment's plans to elect moderate Rep. Greg Ganske to the Senate from Iowa may face a serious challenge from the supply-side Club for Growth, which is helping finance an unknown conservative in the GOP primary.

Three-term liberal Democratic Sen. Tom Harkin is a prime 2002 target of the Republicans, and private polls give Ganske a reasonable chance against him. Consequently, national GOP strategists are distressed by new backing in the primary for Bill Salier, a 33-year-old hog farmer from Nora Springs, Iowa.

The Club for Growth began financing conservative candidates in Republican primaries during the 2000 election cycle, often to the distress of party leaders. Steve Moore, the organization's president, contends that Ganske also will fall short just as previous challenges to defeat Harkin with non-conservative candidates failed. Ganske has won national attention by joining Democrats in HMO regulation ("patients' bill of rights").

[nonliberal]

The race to unseat Tom Harkin is heating up, Freepers! RINO Ganske now knows that the conservatives are serious.

[Rubber Duckie]

Everyone knows a RINO always has a better chance of winning a general election in prairie empire states than do true conservatives. Let's just list the successful RINO's from the region with long senate careers:

1. Mark Andrews, North Dakota, one term.
   
2. Larry Pressler, South Dakota, one term.

Any others?

[IRtorqued]

The national Republican establishment's plans to elect moderate Rep. Greg Ganske to the Senate from Iowa may face a serious challenge from the supply-side Club for Growth, which is helping finance an unknown conservative in the GOP primary.

moderate= middle of the road, where one is just before turning left.

[The Great RJ]

I have the privilege of knowing Congressman Ganske personally and if any Republican in Iowa has a chance of ridding the Senate of Tom Harkin it's Ganske.

My liberal Democrat wife actually changed party registration to vote for Ganske in a 1994 Iowa primary (I had to promise to change her registration back in case of accident so she wouldn't die a Republican --seriously)and probably voted for him in the general election --she wouldn't admit that to me.

While Ganske may not have 100% conservative values in some people's eyes he is a far cry from Tom Harkin's socialist views and stands a better chance of being elected than a pig farmer from Nora Springs.

[Fraulein]

An informative thread on Bill Salier:

A Liberal's Worst Nightmare

[GraniteStateConservative]

I've never understood how marriages like yours and Carville-Matalin's work. How do you deal with someone that thinks so fundamentally differently from you? My wife is no conservative, but she is pro-life and against affirmative action and voted for Bush in 2000 and will probably do so in 2004, but she would have been perfectly happy voting for McCain.

[nonliberal]

...he's a far cry from Harkin's socialist views...

Oh really? Let's look at the records:

Ganske:
Supports McCain/Feingold
Voted to federalize airline security
Supports Ted Kennedy's Patient's Bill of Rights
Received a D-minus from the NRA
Supports embryonic stem cell research
Voted for a Domestic Partners bill

Ganske is a RINO. Salier is not. If you think running Liberal Lite v. Liberal is a good campaign strategy, ask President Dole.

[nonliberal]

Saw it. Great article.

[goldstategop]

Greg Ganske is an anti-constitutional big government RINO. Sure Tom Harkin is an out an out liberal but at least he's honest about where he comes from. If Bill Salier isn't your state's GOP Senate nominee I predict Harkin gets another ticket back to Washington. Why bother with a faux liberal when you already have the real one there?

[Mulder]

My liberal Democrat wife actually changed party registration to vote for Ganske in a 1994 Iowa primary

Another reason not to support Ganske! Liberals are the enemy and should be defeated, not compromised with, as Ganske seems to prefer.

I just sent a check into Salier over the weekend. I don't live in Iowa, but I will support those who support the US Constitution and the Bill of Rights. We don't need anymore limp-wristed RINOs like Ganske.

[Willie Green]

I have had the privilege of knowing a couple pig farmers.
Either one would be better than most of the Republicrat senators in D.C.

[nonliberal]

Thank you very much for your support.