JEANINE PIRRO Conservatives eye rival.
Posted on 11/07/2005 5:10:04 AM PST by Liz
JEANINE PIRRO Conservatives eye rival.
Jeanine Pirro's little-known opponent for the GOP nomination for U.S. Senate is close to winning crucial backing from the small but influential Conservative Party, insiders say.
Such a success by former Yonkers Mayor John Spencer would deny Pirro a vital endorsement in what would already be — if she is the GOP nominee — an uphill battle against incumbent Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton. And it would be the latest blow for Pirro, the outgoing Westchester County district attorney whose campaign has been marred by stumbles and fund-raising shortfalls.
Tactically, Spencer, a tough-talking ex-Marine who is far more conservative than Pirro on a range of issues, plans to use Conservative Party backing as leverage to convince many still-uncommitted GOP leaders to back him as the only candidate with a chance to defeat Clinton.
"Spencer clearly has the edge on Jeanine," Conservative Party Chairman Michael Long told The Post. "If our party's convention was held next week, I think Spencer would be the choice." Spencer said, "I feel, at this point, the Conservative endorsement is in the bag."
No Republican since 1974 has won statewide election without Conservative Party support.
(Excerpt) Read more at nypost.com ...
That's right, apologies to Al, how could I forget? Would he be considered a RINO today or a "real" conservative? Either way, he WAS defeated.
Like your strategy. If I were in NY, I would get behind the Marine instead of Hillary lite that is running -- less than impressed with Pirro. This would be the one time I would support someone that is not Republican but from the Conservative Party if I lived there.
I am totally for John Spencer. Pirro is running an idiotic campaign against Hillary! John Spencer is a strong conservative who given a chance can smack the hell out of Hillary - I'm nost saying he will definately win- but he's gonna give her one HELL of a fight!
Probably a RINO, but in a Rudy Guiliani kind of way.
She's going to win anyway...might as well run a strong conservative against her. Pirro's a joke.
Alfonse D'Amato.
>
It is better to run a strong conservative and make a statement.
Like your strategy. If I were in NY, I would get behind the Marine instead of Hillary lite that is running -- less than impressed with Pirro. This would be the one time I would support someone that is not Republican but from the Conservative Party if I lived there.
>
For God's sake, people, think. Think.
If you run a candidate way over to the right of Hillary, it exposes NOTHING about her. In fact, what it allows her to do is move to the center and posture as a totally reasonable Centrist candidate.
Can you imagine the nationwide MSM orgasm declaring her to be a Centrist?
The center wins because the center is less offensive to the majority. The way to defeat Hillary is to force her to move leftward, abdicating the center. Pirro is to the right of Hillary. She is not a conservative, but she is more conservative than Hillary. She forces Hillary to the left. In fact, Pirro would be able to declare herself a Centrist.
Can she win? Probably not. Probably only Rudi can beat Hillary in NY. But this is not about NY. This is about 2008. You CANNOT allow Hillary to be labeled CENTRIST or we have Hillary as president in 2008.
Pirro is the optimal GOP strategy to stop Hillary and the Conservative party should support her.
Sounds like you are defeated before you even start.
Maybe we've even segued as a culture so that if Spencer hands a paper to Hillary in a debate, he won't be accused of "invading her speace," like Lazio was.
Rudy has his inaugural ball gown picked out already, too. (Actual pic, not photoshopped.)
The average New Yorker has the edge on Jeanine. Go Spencer!
Can you say, "Pyrrhic victory?"
If this is a dry run for '08, all the conservative machinations will be meaningless, anyway. We won't have anything left to defend....
Keep it up, guys....
meant to include a bump. I obviously agree with you. ;)
Way over to the right? You mean a real conservative. I don't share your view that Spencer is an extremist on the political spectrum, even in NY. He is closer to the mainstream than Hillary.
Hillary has been running as a Centrist. In many ways, so has Pirro, who has similar views on major social issues. Running a candidate who is a little more to the right than Hillary is a distinction without a difference. As a result, many "Conservative" issues won't come up because both Hillary and Pirro agree on them.
The way to defeat Hillary is to force her to move leftward, abdicating the center. Pirro is to the right of Hillary. She is not a conservative, but she is more conservative than Hillary. She forces Hillary to the left. In fact, Pirro would be able to declare herself a Centrist.
How do you force Hillary leftward, if Pirro is in agreement with her on most social issues. Hillary does not have to secure her base. They already know who she is and what she stands for. Hillary already has the election wrapped up in NY. What we need from the election is someone to challenge her on some basic issues, including security. We need Hillary on the record about these issues and the only way to do that is to get someone who doesn't hold similar views.
"A breath of fresh air to politics, in 1996, Spencer shocked the “experts” became the Republican mayor of overwhelmingly Democrat Yonkers, New York’s fourth-largest city. As mayor, he stood up for conservative principles and what was right for the people he represented."
"What others thought of as impossible, he saw as challenges to overcome. He took a stagnant city in decline and changed its image to a city of progress. He revitalized the waterfront, cut taxes that others said couldn't be cut and improved services. John Spencer is proud to run on his life record and on his record as a big-city mayor who pulled a city out from under a state Financial Control Board and federal oversight of its court-ordered desegregation."
"At the height of the Vietnam War, when others were avoiding the draft, John Spencer chose to enlist in the United States Army to serve his country. The awesome responsibility of leading men whose very survival depended on him as a young Infantry Lt., shaped and molded him into the leader he is today."
"A principled conservative who can win."
"As a candidate and public servant, Spencer has been proud to run and win with the Conservative Party of New York’s endorsement. John Spencer has always clearly and unashamedly taken a principled stand for his pro-life, pro-marriage, pro-growth, pro-2nd amendment, and anti-illegal immigration positions. As our candidate for the U.S. Senate, Spencer will provide a clear contrast to Senator Clinton’s views. If we nominate a Republican who agrees with Senator Clinton on these issues, we are destined to lose."
"As a self-made man, John Spencer worked his way up from construction worker to real estate management and knows firsthand the challenges that working class families face to make ends meet. He found his purpose in fatherhood and was not afraid to roll up his sleeves and work hard to provide for his family. His devotion to every aspect of his older children's lives, Jennifer and John, led to his active participation in the community. This was the beginning of his involvement in politics as a vehicle for social change. Since remarried, John and his wife Kathy are the proud parents of three young children, Kaitlyn, Patrick and James."
Exactly, what has to be considered is the control of the Senate by maintaining the majority status. The so-called "real Conservative" agenda will go no where if the Senate is handed back to the Democrats. Let the other party go down with the purity of their principles: Greenies, Nadarites and MoveOn.org.
Nobody's going to vote for Pirro. Spencer will at least rally the faithful and obtain crucial backing from the Conservative Party as well as voters disaffected with Clinton.
This isn't like, say, not voting for Doug Forrester in New Jersey, where the race is so close. Pirro has no chance in winning. And she's got a husband who's a cheat and a crook, so she can't even use Hillary's husband against her. I frankly resent how Pirro's been pushed upon us by party leaders, so I will be happy to vote for an alternative.
Do you know that a "centrist" is a term concocted and defined by the Left?
Who is the last candidate the Conservative party supported who won? Did they support your current Governor?
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