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Pro-gun, anti-abortion and fiscally conservative: meet the neo-Dems
Guardian ^ | 11/10/06 | Ed Pilkington

Posted on 11/10/2006 1:08:07 AM PST by paudio

The conservative Democrats, or new Democrats as they are sometimes called, were disproportionately represented in the most highly contested races against Republicans, and are likely to form a substantial bloc within the new members.

Heath Shuler, a former American football celebrity who now holds a House of Representatives' seat for North Carolina, is representative of the group. He has an evangelical Christian background and is on the right of the argument on many social issues such as abortion.

Democratic party leaders deny that they had an official strategy to plant right-wing candidates in vulnerable Republican seats as a way of winning over voters. But Rahm Emanuel, the chairman of the campaign to win back the House of Representatives, has said that when they searched for candidates with the best hopes of winning, they ended up with several with a moderate approach. "As a group, they are moderate in temperament and reformers in spirit," he said.

That is not the experience of Mr Shuler, who told local newspapers that he had been reluctant to stand for election but was strong-armed into it by Mr Emanuel. "Rahm was tougher than any of the college coaches who were calling me when I was in high school. None of [the coaches] could hold a candle to Rahm Emanuel as a recruiter," he said.

The number of conservative Democrats among the 28 who wrestled house seats from Republican incumbents has yet to emerge, but with 27 of the 40 candidates in the most contested seats falling into this category, the figure could be substantial. They will join an already sizeable caucus within the Democrats in Congress who are on the right of the party and will be encouraged to line up formally with the two existing sub-groups: the New Democrats and the Blue Dog Coalition.

(Excerpt) Read more at guardian.co.uk ...


TOPICS: Extended News; Government; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: beholdentopelosi; bluedogdemocrats; elections
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To: uncbob
They could do it if they stick together

Hell I would vote for a conservative democrat If I thought he wouldn't toe the party line and vote with the dems for Speaker--chair heads etc

They won't and they will vote the pelosi line.

61 posted on 11/10/2006 5:33:04 AM PST by Dane ("Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall" Ronald Reagan, 1987)
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To: FormerLib
I heard Newt Gingrich outline a solid strategy for the Republicans during the next term: introduce and support legislation that supports the conservative issues the Blue Dogs campaigned on. If the Blue Dogs support it, it will split them from the leftists. If they don't, they'll have to answer to the voters in 2 years.

Exactly. We need a smart and aggressive counterpuncher like Gingrich in control of the House Republicans. Now.

62 posted on 11/10/2006 5:33:45 AM PST by JCEccles
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To: GAB-1955

Everyone is forgetting something here.

Values votes mean nothing whenan activist court overturns it. And now with Dems in charge, we can kiss that 5th Conservative justice goodbye for the next 20 years.

Blue dogs mean squat in the Senate.


63 posted on 11/10/2006 5:34:29 AM PST by EQAndyBuzz (The voting machines aren't broken. The Dems operating the voting machines are broken.)
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To: paudio; ninenot; sittnick; steve50; Hegemony Cricket; Willie Green; Wolfie; ex-snook; FITZ; ...
The conservative Democrats, or new Democrats as they are sometimes called

Actually they are the real OLD Democrats. As they were before 1960s. If Democratic party returns to the old New Deal formula, they will get Reagan Democrats back and secure their hold on power for a long long time.

64 posted on 11/10/2006 5:40:58 AM PST by A. Pole ("Gay marriage" - Karl Rove's conspiracy to defeat Democrats?)
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To: paudio

It will be very interesting to see how these Blue Dogs actually vote. I am sure Hillary and the Dems have their own "dirt" on these guys if they have to use it to get them in line.


65 posted on 11/10/2006 6:03:41 AM PST by truthandlife ("Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the LORD our God." (Ps 20:7))
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To: paudio

"Many of them are from Republican districts. I don't think they will move to the left right away, at least not in the first two year. If they do, they will say goodbye to their offices in 2008."

Which is actually a benefit of having conservative Democrats in red districts. They know darn well that if they stray too far from conservatism, they'll lose in the next election.

How many times have conservatives complained about so-called RINOs who run on conservative rhetoric and then do the exact opposite when they get into office? A conservative Democrat in that same district doesn't have the privilege of a nice, safely gerrymandered district. Their position is not secure, and they know it.


66 posted on 11/10/2006 6:04:14 AM PST by RKBA Democrat (Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner!)
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To: don-o

"We have a FReeper who is planning to take that seat back in 08."

Which is really a good thing. In a race between between two conservatives, I don't see how conservatism really ends up on the losing end.

Wouldn't it be nice to see conservatives fighting it out for the privilege of being your representative rather than what we normally get: a contest between two shades of socialism?


67 posted on 11/10/2006 6:07:31 AM PST by RKBA Democrat (Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner!)
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Neo-Dems? How can that be? Are any of them Jewish?


68 posted on 11/10/2006 6:08:51 AM PST by Long Island Pete
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To: dogbyte12

"We decide our party on which has more of what we agree with overall. I have chosen Republican. There are pro-abortion Republicans, and pro-life democrats. There are gun nanny Republicans, and pro 2nd amendment democrats. There are southern democrats who are conservative, northern republicans who are liberals."

Amen. For the record I'm a pro-life, gun-toting, socialism-detesting Christian. I also happen to be a Democrat.

I'm tired of this rhetoric that says that Republicans are always conservative, and Democrats are always liberal. That's the kind of mindless jingoism that would lead us to sacrifice a Zell Miller for the sake of electing a Bob Taft or Lincoln Chafee.


69 posted on 11/10/2006 6:17:18 AM PST by RKBA Democrat (Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner!)
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To: Dane

I suspect you are correct, but we'll have to wait and see. I don't think this latest election is as bad as it looks.


70 posted on 11/10/2006 6:49:44 AM PST by Fester Chugabrew
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To: Dane
Charlie rangel is already making rumblings of ramming through the radical left agenda.

He's just a ghetto bull.

71 posted on 11/10/2006 6:52:05 AM PST by Fester Chugabrew
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To: Dane

100 % right!


72 posted on 11/10/2006 7:21:04 AM PST by cblue55
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To: paudio

Another demonstration that there is no difference between the two major parties. The downward spiral, trashing the Constitution for the united States in the descent, continues....and continues....and continues....


73 posted on 11/10/2006 7:23:32 AM PST by Free Baptist
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To: MinorityRepublican
When you read the FEC Reports on Heath Shuler's money, you find that fat contributions -- $4,000 and up -- come from Pelosi and other Dem libs in the House, and especially from the national (Dem lib) unions. Those are his paymasters. It remains to be seen whether he will vote the way his paymasters want, as a Member of the House.

Congressman Billybob

Latest article: "Statement on the Election of 2008"

74 posted on 11/10/2006 7:43:57 AM PST by Congressman Billybob (www.ArmorforCongress.com Please get involved.)
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To: dogbyte12

...of course, you're right, and maybe Heath Shuler could be miles to the right of Lincoln Chafee, but you're neglecting the letter after the names...that's what counts...the party, and holding onto power...Dems will never win by being conservative, because overall the Pubs do it better, and because the 40% liberal element of the populace cannot be ignored. Regardless of how Heath runs his own life (hopefully better than he ran the 'Skins offense)his political reality that of a good soldier...win the battle though you may hate having to fight...and it's also unlikely any newly elected people will be turned out within two years, the Pubs were hurt badly by the popular perception that they'd been in power long enough, and time for someone else to get a chance...(Santorum a perfect example of that, as well as the poular Casey bloodline...)


75 posted on 11/10/2006 8:13:00 AM PST by IrishBrigade
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To: paudio

btt 4 l8r


76 posted on 11/10/2006 8:38:42 AM PST by Cacique (quos Deus vult perdere, prius dementat ( Islamia Delenda Est ))
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To: rtsimon
Besides the dems will have no choice but to put money back into this candidate if they wish to hold the seat. If he votes differently than he ran as a candidate he is screwed.

they will play the game of letting vote conservative on bills where their vote isn't needed

A Big Game down there in DC
77 posted on 11/10/2006 8:45:19 AM PST by uncbob
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To: FormerLib
heard Newt Gingrich outline a solid strategy for the Republicans during the next term: introduce and support legislation that supports the conservative issues the Blue Dogs campaigned on. I

And how will it ever get out of committee
78 posted on 11/10/2006 8:50:48 AM PST by uncbob
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To: Dane
They won't and they will vote the pelosi line

Sad to say but you are probably right
79 posted on 11/10/2006 8:56:26 AM PST by uncbob
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To: GAB-1955
You know, I don't care about the American Conservative Union;

ACU is a good pointer on Congress. But their choice of issues often seems to skew so that certain ACU favorites will always have the best scores and so that certain Dims will always be at 0%.

I think they may use Excel to lay out all the votes on all the bills and search out a combination of bills that commends their GOP favorites and demonizes the Dims.
80 posted on 11/10/2006 8:56:53 AM PST by George W. Bush
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