Setting an example: Which New England RINO can we take out?

My addled brain | November 23, 2005 | ModernDayCato

[ModernDayCato]

I'm getting a little sick and tired about reading about the RINOs here on the east coast who keep scuttling things and throwing monkey wrenches into the progress toward holding Republican feet to the fire.

Isn't there some way we New Englanders can send a message to our RINOs in Congress that we are gunning for them?

Isn't there a somewhat vulnerable RINO that we can target and get rid of?

Don't any of my fellow FReepers know of a good candidate out there that could be run against one of these idiots?

Can't we form RINO-PAC and scare some of these people straight, a la Club for Growth?

Anyone?

[Bob J]

"You lose the seat for that cycle, but get rid of the blowhard."

And then who do you run in the following election? The same conservative who can't win?

No, you'll have to run another RINO and you're back where you started...with a dem as the incumbant.

There is a disconnect with reality here with people who think all you need to do to get true conservatives in office is to run them.

[Torie]

"Conservative" pubbies as I suspect you define it, cannot win anywhere in New England in any CD, even the more GOP district in New Hampshire, unless the Pubbie emphasizes fiscal and economic issues. Strange thread.

[Torie]

Not everybody is as "practical" or psepholically inclined, as one might wish. One of the useful purposes of this site is venting. It happens everyday. I think it serves a uesful purpose. Everyone needs to vent. It is good for one's health, at least if after typing out a vent post, one then does something aerobic as well.

[Reily]

New England for the most part doesn't produce conservatives anymore. The local political culture is too heavily influenced bu the Boston & NYC media (as well as Boston & NYC cultural attitudes!)
RINOS are probably the best we can do until there is a 'sea change' of political culture there. Maybe the election and reasonably successful gubernatorial administration of Mitt Romney in Massachusetts is the break in that wall. ( Still am amazed super oh-so sophisticated Mass elected a Mormon !)
I can tolerate RINOs as long as the support us on the majority of the 'big issues'. The can have some 'minor issues' to posture & preen with so they can look moderate & independent.
Until we have 50%+ conservatives to reliable vote in the majority of NE states, RINOS are the best we can get !

[Doctor Stochastic]

I didn't suggest that. I suggested that one often has a better chance of replacing a Republican with a Democrat than with another Republican.

[BillyBoy]

I agree with what your saying about how most New Englanders are idelogical soulmates with their RINO Congressmen and vote accordingly, but there's still two exceptions where RINOs are mavericks and need to be taken out. One is when the RINO is so far left that he votes more liberal than a lot of DEMOCRATS in the region (this is true of Linc Chaffee... he is a "Republican" considerably to the left of the moderate, pro-life Dems who win most of the offices in that state). Second, when a RINO is representing a "safe" conservative Republican area. An example is Judy Biggert "representing" people in Illinois 13th District. She reprsents DuPage County, an ultra-safe GOP district that is the Illinois eqiuvilent of Orange county, yet she votes with the RATS half the time. She needs to be taken out.

Here is a sample of some Republicans in "safe" GOP areas who join the "Main Street Coalition" and crossover to vote with the RATS 1/3rd of the time or more. There is NO execuse why we can't have reliable Republicans in those seats:

--Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-AK)
--Sen. Ted Stevens (R-AK)
--Sen. Richard Shelby (R-AL)
--Sen. John Sununu (R-NH)
--Sen. Mike DeWine (R-OH)
--Sen. George Voinovich (R-OH)
--Sen. Liddy Dole (R-NC)
--Sen. Chuck Hagel (R-NE)
--Sen. Lamar Alexander (R-TN)
--Sen. Kay Hutchison (R-TX)
--Sen. John Warner (R-VA)
--Rep. Jim Kolbe, (R-AZ)
--Rep. Jeb Bradley, (R-NH)
--Rep. Charles Bass, (R-NH)
--Rep. Ray LaHood, (R-IL)
--Rep. Judy Biggert, (R-IL)
--Rep. Doug Bereuter, (R-NE)
--Rep. Deborah Pryce, (R-OH)
--Rep. Ralph Regula, (R-OH)
--Rep. Jim Greenwood, (R-PA)
--Rep. Curt Weldon, (R-PA)
--Rep. Phil English, (R-PA)
--Rep. Kay Granger, (R-TX)
--Rep. Tom Osborne, (R-NE)
--Rep. Jim Ramstad, (R-MN)
--Rep. Joe Schwarz, (R-MI)
--Most GOP Congressman from Update NY (3 or 4 of ‘em)

[nutmeg]

Connecticut ping!

Please Freepmail me if you want on or off my infrequent Connecticut ping list.

[Bob J]

I agree if you're info is accurate. My follow up question is, in the pub "safe districts" you mention, do they usually elect a RINO or conservative in the primaries?

Just because a district has more registered pubs than dems doesn't mean it isn't a RINO loving district.

[solitas]

Which New England RINO can we take out?

You only got one round left in the clip?

[MassachusettsGOP]

Sen. John Sununu (R-NH) should be removed from this list. He has one of the top 10 ACU ratings of all Republican Senators.