Posted on 02/22/2012 9:58:16 PM PST by VinL
Arizona Rep. Trent Franks warned after the GOP debate Wednesday that Mitt Romney's "carpet-bombing" attacks on his opponents could lead to a breakaway third-party candidacy in the general election.
Franks, a conservative congressman who supports Newt Gingrich, told POLITICO that his "greatest fear" is that Romney's tactics have the potential to sunder the party in a lasting way.
"My greatest fear is it seems that Mr. Romney has set his path to the nomination based on carpet-bombing his opponents to oblivion with false negative advertising. That does not bode well for us for a couple reasons," Franks said. "First, that’s the kind of thing that engenders a third-party candidacy, which would be a disaster for us."
He continued: "Secondly, it’s the kind of thing that robs us of our most important leverage — and that is, Republicans’ most important leverage being their ability to appeal to the truth and to principle when facing an opponent like Barack Obama, who essentially doesn’t hold himself constrained to either. If we jettison that in a primary, the nit won’t be there for us when we desperately need it in the general."
Franks was vague about how an independent, anti-Romney run could come about, and emphasized he hopes it doesn't come to pass.
But, he said, that could be the result of what he views as fighting dirty.
"When people debate forthrightly and say, here’s where I stand, and don’t distort their opponents’ positions, then it’s a lot easier for opponents to come back together afterwards," Franks said. "But you know, I used to do a little boxing and when somebody kicks you in the groin, that’s against the rules and it has a way of kind of taking away the comity of the sport."
(Excerpt) Read more at politico.com ...
If for no other reason than to upset Drudge/Coulter/limbaugh/Rove and the rest of the romney crowd.
And in advance- yes, I rather go down supporting Newt and Sarah, then win with Romney.
Go fry some Franks.
A Turd party on the right would only be a disaster.
Now a Turd party on the left, woo-hoo I’m 100% for it.
You will hurt us in Congress, not just the White House.
There is WAY too much at stake.
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“hurt us”—???
Who’s “us”, friend Kansas.
Agreed. I’d rather go down fighting the right fight than to fight a battle the elite tell me I must as they do their damnedest to make me afraid.
If Conservatism dies ... it will be at the hands of Mitt Romney.
Agreed. That would be a lavishly and severely conservative response to a Rotney nomination.
Anybody who’s for 3rd party is an obamabot mole, clear and present!
If I had to choose, I would rather the senate than the White House. I think we can lose the white house and still win the senate and, to be honest, that has been my prediction for the 2012 election for over a year now. The two battles are entirely different. One field favors Obama and one favors us.
Putting RINOs into power isn’t going to help us - all it’s going to do is prove that they can shove any candidate down our throat that they want to.
Hi newbie! I refer especially YOU to post 8!
Right- no reason one can’t vote for Newt/Sarah— and still vote for conservative legislators.
There’s a phrase for an election featuring Emperor Zero and Slick Willard in November... it’s called a “Democrat Party Runoff.”
Oh save it kid. There is a small group of you that troll around here calling people some sort of “plant” if they don’t act like you ... it’s called a lemming. So you just go ahead and support the death of the GOP and do whatever the GOP elite masters tell you to do. If there’s a plant here, it’s you.
I have made it clear my unequivocal support of Santorum. I have made that point over and over and over.
You need to come up with something better than “newbie” “plant” etc and maybe you might convince someone of something.
But, hey, yeah ... let’s follow the GOP elites. That has worked SO well for us so far.
Santorum 2012
Anybody who’s for 3rd party is an obamabot mole, clear and present!
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I can only speak for myself- but imo, anyone who wouldn’t vote for Newt/Sarah is likely not a constitutional conservative— but rather a GOP establishment statist.
And for me, a choice between a GOP-e statist and a Dem socialist, is no choice.
Spoken like a true Whig.
“Putting RINOs into power isn’t going to help us - all it’s going to do is prove that they can shove any candidate down our throat that they want to.
“
Prove it to us? What do you think they’ve done every election since Reagan?
Conservatives have been gaging on the likes of “The Booshes, The One Armed Liberal (Bob, I’ve never seen a tax I wouldn’t vote for Dole), and that sickening last election with John, I’m Nutty as a Fruitcake, McLame! At least Romney isn’t senile, but that’s not saying much. And then there’s his Mini Me, Santorum.
Think you are pretty much dead on with that one. Good call.
The “us” are my kids graduating from college (2013 & 2015) who will have heckuva time finding jobs with Obama re-elected for another 4 years.
Then add the 2 or 3 SCOTUS justices Obama will appoint (more Ginsburgs, Sotomayors) and the “change” will be complete but “hope” will be all but gone.
Sarah has already said she wouldn’t support a 3rd party. She’s in it for the convention should it come to that, but if it doesn’t, she has already stated what her intent is.
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