GOP Leaders Spurn Right in Key Races

The Hill ^ | May 2, 2002 | Alexander Bolton

[DoveTurnedHawk]

GOP congressional leaders are supporting moderates and shunning more conservative Senate candidates in several primaries, to the dismay of conservative activists in swing states that may decide which party controls the Senate.

The key is electability. The party leaders believe that moderate Republicans have a better chance of defeating Democratic opponents than some candidates who support such conservative causes as banning abortion and opposing gun control and stem cell research.

Consequently, some Republican congressional leaders have thrown their support to candidates in Iowa, Tennessee, Maine and North Carolina who have weak records on these "bread and butter" issues in the minds of conservatives.

But the strategy may backfire as it has alienated conservative activists who form the backbone of the party’s grassroots structure in those states. If they fail to support GOP candidates in the general election, it could derail Republican efforts to regain control of the Senate.

The Senate race in Iowa is the most striking example. By favoring moderate Rep. Greg Ganske (R) over conservative Bill Salier, the congressional leaders have run amok, in the eyes of local conservatives. GOP Senate leaders have given thousands of dollars from their political action committees (PACs) to help Ganske unseat Sen. Tom Harkin (D).

[snip]

[DoveTurnedHawk]

What in the world is going on?

DTH

[linn37]

Ganske sucks and is a backbiter

[uncbob]

Ain't called the STUPID PARTY for nothing

[Ahban]

http://www.constitutionparty.com

Because it is easier to build anew than it is to tear down the whole rotten GOP establishmnet and build again.

[Dog Gone]

This debate occurs every election. I'm not sure why you posted it in Breaking News.

[DoveTurnedHawk]

Hmm, I thought I'd unchecked that box. My apologies. Is there any way to edit posts? I can't seem to find a way to do it. DTH

[Zack Nguyen]

Republicans do not embrace conservative candidates because many of them cannot enunciate conservative principles in such a way as to make them appeal to 51% of the voters. A few candidates do it here and there, but the vast majority of Republicans (and most politicans), I fear, possess no carefully thought-out political ideology. They just go by instinct or whatever appears to be the easiest way to get the most votes.

Going the conservative route means having to think about what you believe and how to communicate it. It is much easier to rely on the "wise men" from the RNC who can tell them what to think and who to support. The RNC says: "Moderate candidates will win. Conservatives are too dangerous! You'll lose the swing!" And most fall into line.

[dead]

We no longer have this problem in New Jersey.

There are no more conservative Republican politicians.

[Dog Gone]

Is there any way to edit posts?

Not by us mortals. There have been many times when I've screwed up royally, or said something that came out completely wrong and wish I could edit.

You can always appeal to the moderators to do something (which they can), but this wasn't an embarrassing mistake. Carry on!

[Clemenza]

Ganske will lose to Harkin. Iowa farmers love their pork and know who delivers more.

[Sci Fi Guy]

http://www.constitutionparty.com

Because it is easier to build anew than it is to tear down the whole rotten GOP establishmnet and build again

http://www.americanheritageparty.org/

Because it is easier to build anew than it is to tear down the whole rotten GOP establishmnet Constitution Party and build again

American Heritage is a new party that split off from the Constitution Party. After all it is easier to start a new party than to try to fix existing problems where you are.

[KC_Conspirator]

Iowa farmers love their pork and know who delivers more.

No kidding. I keep on wondering why they select liberals like Algore and Harkin even though most of them live like conservatives. Its the government pork (and the fact that some still live in the 1930's, thinking that Republicans all wear black top hats, drive model T's and will come out and foreclose on the family farm at any time). Oh, and don't forget those "gasahol" subsidies. Gasahol or whatever the hell its called has been a bomb for about 2 decades, yet they still get truck loads of cash to make a product that nobody wants.

[Ancesthntr]

We no longer have this problem in New Jersey.

There are no more conservative Republican politicians.

Nor are there many conservative voters, Republican or otherwise, left there. People like me have given up, and escaped to Free America.

[IronJack]

The Republicans are fine-tuning their Losing Machine. There is a distant threat of them actually winning a few of these seats, so they are redoubling their efforts to go down in flames.

And they have an enviable track record of succeeding at failing.

[Tribune7]

Many of those who stay in politics find themselves having a vested interest in the system. This is true regardless of party. The difference is that the Dems base encourages big government while the GOP base seeks to retrain it.

There are some good Republicans, however. I don't think there are any good Dems.

[RLK]

The Senate race in Iowa is the most striking example. By favoring moderate Rep. Greg Ganske (R) over conservative Bill Salier,

--------------

Salier is a tough rough and tumber character. He would stir up the national political scene.

[houston1]

the Dems base encourages big government while the GOP base seeks to retrain it

I guess you missed this:
URL: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/news/archive/2002/05/02/financial1315EDT0146.DTL


(05-02) 10:15 PDT WASHINGTON (AP) --

The House on Thursday passed an election-year farm bill
that will boost spending by 70 percent and increase
subsidies to grain and cotton farms while adding
thousands of other producers to the federal dole.

Shortly before the 280-141 vote, President Bush said the
legislation wasn't everything he wanted but
will "help ensure the immediate and long-term viability
of our farm economy." A Senate vote was likely later
Thursday.


The bill marks the reversal of the market-oriented
policy of the 1996 Freedom to Farm law that was
supposed to wean farmers from government subsidies.

©2002 Associated Press

Tell me again how Republicans are for smaller govt., I could use a good laugh

[Republican Wildcat]

I don't think Gangske is going to be able to do it. I think Harkin would have more trouble against Salier based on appearance, since that's the way a lot of people, for whatever reason, vote.

[Republican Wildcat]

Apparently you didn't read his/her post, then decided to comment anyway...