Posted on 04/20/2009 5:36:26 PM PDT by zaphod3000
National Republican Senatorial Committee Chairman John Cornyn (Texas) may have called for Pennsylvania Republicans to unite behind Sen. Arlen Specter (Pa.) last week, but GOP members of the Keystone State delegation are choosing to sit on the sidelines in what is expected to be a blockbuster primary in 2010.
The state’s Republican House Members indicated in separate interviews that they are not ready to endorse Specter, who faces a challenge next year from former Rep. Pat Toomey (R-Pa.) in what is likely to be the toughest battle of his 30-year Senate career.
Specter enjoyed the support of almost everyone in the delegation in 2004, when he narrowly defeated Toomey by less than 2 percent in the GOP primary. But with Specter trailing Toomey in polling on next year’s rematch, Pennsylvania Members aren’t inclined to choose sides for now.
(Excerpt) Read more at rollcall.com ...
Cornyn’s an idiot. And I can say that because I voted for the idiot and he’s my idiot.
If the GOP backs Specter, I will leave the GOP. I’ve about had enough of RINOs.
The “old boys network” is alive and well.
I dont think Cornyn’s an idiot. But he’s definitely been friends with the Scotsman too long.
Dittos. I’ll be voting for his opposition this time around regardless of who it is.
I understand the disgust.
However, it is the job of the Republican Senatorial Committee to support Republican candidates who are running against Democrats, and to support Republican incumbents.
The Senatorial Committee has very little real power.
Elizabeth Dole probably spent too much time running that organization.
It became a campaign issue that probably helped to defeat her.
Let us be clear: ANY group can call itself “Republican” and the Republican decision will be at the ballot box in the primary contest, NEXT YEAR!
The National Republican Trust PAC has already announced that it will work against Specter.
Spectre needs to be put away by James Bond.
It is good news for Toomey that the PA GOP is not endorsing Specter. I heard Michael Steele subbing for Bill Bennett a couple weeks ago and he was asked who the GOP would support. Steele responded that it was up to the PA GOP. If the state party, for PA or any state, does not endorse a candidate, then the RNC will not back a candidate. I hate the thought of RNC money going to Specter. It looks like that won’t be happening. I hope it stays that way.
Wait, no, he’s my idiot too. I voted for him. I sent him an e-mail protesting his support of Specter but, so far, no response.
>> and to support Republican incumbents.
Really? That’s some kind of official policy?
If so it’s not a wise one.
I can see the Senate chair supporting the (R) against the (D) in the general. But knee-jerk support for a loser like Specter against a real conservative like Toomey — especially when that support comes from a guy like Cornyn who poses as a conservative — is just dim-witted.
>> I sent him an e-mail protesting his support of Specter but, so far, no response.
You should get your vaguely worded standard response in six to eight weeks.
And the party hierarchy continues its march off the cliff. And it’s where they belong, problem is, they are taking us and the country with them.
Oxygen wasters.
They are going to sabotage Palin or any other conservative that rises to the top. And the really disgusting thing is that they will cooperate with the media to do it.
“Cornyn’s an idiot. And I can say that because I voted for the idiot and he’s my idiot.”
Yeah, he’s my idiot too. And, I understand his logic about supporting Specter. I would be willing to hold my nose with that except Specter(Specter) has a history of turning on Republicans as soon as being re-elected. He did it to Bush the last go round. So, I say turn Specter loose and let him twist in the wind. I am going to send Cornyn an email and give him my two bits about Specter. Doubt that it will do any good other than making me feel better...
LOL — got that right.
Think of this logically: would you like it if such a Committee DID take sides in a Primary?
THAT could lead to real tyranny.
This Committee should listen to the voices of the primary voters, YES!
However, would you want this group to make endorsements in an “open primary” where NO incumbent was running?
Think this through. Let the incumbent Republicans do what incumbents do. It does not much matter.
The voters will decide this matter!
In trying to get what we want, lets not destroy the true neutrality of institutions that don't do what we want.
When Toomey wins, Toomey will be endorsed by this committee, even if Toomey has a challenger in 7 years.
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2181685/posts
Specter to buck party, vote for stimulus ($6.5b pay to play?)
Scraton Times ^ | February 09, 2009 | BORYS KRAWCZENIUK
Concerned about the nation’s “very severe economic recession,” U.S. Sen. Arlen Specter said today he plans to vote for Senate Democrats’ economic stimulus package, despite the political risk.
“If we don’t act, we may find ourselves in a depression like 1929,” Mr. Specter said after visiting the Schott Glass Technologies plant in Duryea. “That has to be avoided.”
Mr. Specter, a Republican and part of a bipartisan group of senators who worked on the proposal, said the $827 billion Senate version is far less expensive than what Democratic Senate leaders originally proposed.
“It cuts the Democratic proposal by $110 billion, which is a lot of money,” he said, noting criticism of the Senate proposal by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi. “So that’s a sign we must be on the right track.”
(snip)
“Well, of course I am,” Mr. Specter said when asked if he’s worried about the conservative backlash. “But (President) John Kennedy had it right. He said, ‘Sometimes the party asks too much.’ And this is something I think is necessary for the country. It goes beyond politics. It goes beyond the Democratic or Republican position. It’s the right thing for America.”
Mr. Specter said he would have supported the package even if Democrats had not added $6.5 billion in additional money for the National Institutes of Health to the final version of the bill.
Mr. Specter had sought the money for years, and had mentioned that he wanted the money in the bill when he met with President Barack Obama last week.
“That’s only one small part ... That’s not determinative in my mind,” he said.
The stimulus vote could create “a political problem,” he said, but “I thought the public interest was so important that I have to take whatever problems it brings me.”
One other thing:
Don’t GIVE to the Senatorial Committee, give money only to the candidates that you support.
>> Think of this logically: would you like it if such a Committee DID take sides in a Primary?
You’re not making sense... Cornyn (as Republican Senatorial Chair) IS!! taking sides in the primary.
I’m suggesting that the chair NOT!! take sides at all in the primary — ANY primary.
Their role should be ONLY to help the Republican THAT THE STATE SELECTS WITHOUT THEIR “HELP” elected. Period.
>> Don’t GIVE to the Senatorial Committee, give money only to the candidates that you support.
You got THAT one right! :-)
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.