Posted on 05/12/2009 1:36:16 PM PDT by rabscuttle385
Charlie Crist is a popular candidate best positioned to keep a Senate seat in Republican hands. But he has also broken with party orthodoxy on environmental and voting rights issues.
BY PETER WALLSTEN
Washington. With the Republican Party diminished in power and embroiled in debate over whether to broaden its ideology or adhere to core ideals, top GOP officials today took the unusual step of inserting themselves into a party primary, picking a moderate U.S. Senate candidate over a conservative in Florida.
In endorsing Florida Gov. Charlie Crist, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) and Sen. John Cornyn of Texas, chairman of the GOP group that sets strategy for Senate races, sided with a popular candidate best positioned to keep a Senate seat in Republican hands as the minority party tries to avoid falling below the critical number of 40 senators needed to block legislation.
But in doing so, the top Republican officials also are aligning themselves with a candidate who has broken with party orthodoxy on environmental and voting rights issues and even appeared with President Obama to support the economic stimulus plan being lambasted by conservatives.
(Excerpt) Read more at latimes.com ...
"I am pleased today to endorse Governor Charlie Crist for the United States Senate," said John Cornyn, chairman of the National Republican Senatorial Committee, in a statement. "With his record of reform in Florida, I know that Governor Crist will bring a fresh perspective to Washington in our efforts to fight for lower taxes, less government, and new job creation for all Americans. Charlie Crist is a tireless advocate on behalf of all Floridians and one of only three Governors who earned an 'A' from the CATO Institute for his efforts to restrain spending and cut taxes last year.
Crist will do fine. Some call him a RINO. What he is is a Republican who cares about the environment. He has kept Florida out of the worst of the recession and been a fair successor to Jeb. He’s no Arlen Specter, folks, whatever some of the more hardline guys might tell you.
Look at it this way. It’s neither a loss or a gain.
Bet the GOP is breathing a sigh of relief and hoping a conservative doesn’t pop up and create a bunch of stress for them.
Damn Cornyn. He is getting just as bad....he also backed Spector too. Being in Texas, Im none to pleased with my batch of senators!!!!
Rinos supporting Rinos. Wonder what happens if his rumored gayness is exposed?
The conservative former Speaker of the House has announced already, and is running attack ads against Crist.
The legislature kept hapless progressive Charlie “tan in a bottle” Crist under control.
Cornyn is apparently the jerk that is trying to push liberal idiot Carly Fiorina into the California senatorial race.
I used to think he was an OK guy... no more!
Funded by liberals to support big-government liberal GOP candidates.
Being that I am sometimes quite slow on the uptake, I was wondering if you could name some Republican politicians who don't care about the environment?
I wont be voting for him ..
No more RINOs for me.
“top GOP officials today took the unusual step of inserting themselves into a party primary, picking a moderate U.S. Senate candidate over a conservative in Florida.”
Unusual?
I would have been surprised if the “top GOP officials” had NOT tried to cut the conservative candidate off at the knees. Like Bush, Rove, Santorum et al. did to Toomey 6 years ago.
The beat goes on.
Jeff Gordon’s gay, Jeff Gordon’s gay,
Crist just got hitched and to a not unattractive lady.
Course there are a whole lot of strange marriages and arrangements in politics now aren’t there.
vbmoneyspender,
Those pictures of you on the surfboard?
What beach,
I get the feeling with the direction us conservatives are going that the NRSC is going to get its comeuppance...and its about damn time we give an explanation of who they work for.
I’m hoping you’re correct. Unfortunately, there is not much evidence that Crist is any kind of conservative. I look forward to proof that I’m wrong about him.
Thank very much --------NO.
This is all a matter of opinion of course, but I find that Crist's balance of business and environment is palatable to me. We just need to watch and make sure he doesn't get nutty with the spending, which is something he has shown some propensity for.
yea it’s me - the beach is El Porto near Manhattan Beach in SoCal. I don’t know if you are familiar with it - it’s a beach break that catches north swells real nice.
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