Editorial board: Enzi, now is your time (Mike, please go back to voting with the democrats!)

trib.com ^ | 1/12/14

[cotton1706]

It’s over.

Well almost, anyway — all over but for the voting in the election for Wyoming’s incumbent Sen. Mike Enzi, up for a vote to give him another six years in the U.S. Senate.

Liz Cheney, his competitor in the GOP primary for his job, dropped her campaign last week, citing serious health issues in her family. There’s no other serious candidate. And any as-yet-unnamed Democrat candidate would face a huge uphill battle in this deeply Republican state.

Enzi knows it. His fellow senators know it. Just watch the back slaps and high fives they gave him on the Senate floor after Cheney’s announcement. Enzi was there to put in a vote, but that wasn’t what the celebration was all about. Please, though, spare a thought for Enzi and Cheney’s campaign staff who thought they would have jobs at least through August.

So what now?

We’re looking for the next evolution in how Mike Enzi represents Wyoming.

What’s his next step?

We think he can cast aside the strident tone that seemed unfamiliar coming from him. Enzi undoubtedly felt the heat from Cheney’s attack from the right. Enzi wasn’t strong enough against Obamacare, was her claim. He wasn’t effective enough to accomplish what he wanted, she said. Watching Enzi’s legislative choices and statements, it was easy — and not surprising — to hear him take a harsher tone against President Obama once he faced Cheney’s assault.

It’s a sad fact that to run as a Republican these days is to guarantee you’ll face criticism for not being Republican enough. Even Cheney faced an attack from the right, with one group running a television ad claiming she supported gay marriage — complete nonsense, of course.

Remember the GOP’s big tent? What happened to that?

[cotton1706]

Enzi's Conservative voting average:

Enzi (WY) - 08/19/14 - 80% (Average) - 74% (Heritage) - 71% (CFG) - 92% (ACU) - 82% (FreedomWorks)

Without the protective ACU:

Enzi (WY) - 08/19/14 - 76% (Average) - 74% (Heritage) - 71% (CFG) - 82% (FreedomWorks)

[cotton1706]

This is how they do it. Heap praise on a senator in the press, appeal to his ego, and then the democrats get a reliable vote in the senate. Enzi will again be one of “Schumer’s Republicans”

[DIRTYSECRET]

Be bold? If it didn’t happen before why should he change?

Big tent? Only in purple states.

[yefragetuwrabrumuy]

I think the consensus is that Cheney was just a “defensive block”, to protect Enzi from a legitimate challenge from the right. She never seriously intended to challenge him, and would have turned all her father’s resources against a real challenger.

The Republican liberal leadership are not stupid, and when they want to be, they can be very effective in fighting conservatives. Just not when opposing Democrats or standing up to their agenda, which the liberals support.

[sauropod]

It’s a sad fact that to run as a Republican these days is to guarantee you’ll face criticism for not being Republican enough.

It's a sad fact that to publish as a "newspaper" these days is to guarantee you will write left-wing pabulum and try to pass it off as "non-biased news."

RIP, Trib.

[Old Sarge]

This rag is owned by Lee Enterprises, a media conglomerate similar to the Leftist Gannett Corporation.

Lee is the 4th largest media company in the nation: over fifty dailies, and a metric ton of weekly pubs.

The list of dailies reads like a Who’s Who of the local Left.

[Paladin2]

The sad fact is that Wyoming can’t find its Ted Cruz and let Enzi spend more time with his family (even if it is on K Street) after 18 years in the Senate.

[353FMG]

The GOP has been heavily infiltrated by RATS.

[ansel12]

Even Cheney faced an attack from the right, with one group running a television ad claiming she supported gay marriage — complete nonsense, of course.

Liz Cheney is a long time supporter of gay marriage and the homosexual agenda, she opposed an amendment to protect marriage, opposed DOMA, supported homosexualizing the military and State department.

Liz Cheney also seems to be pro-choice, since she was never pro-life, until she suddenly started rewriting her positions a few months ago.

[grania]

The problem with Liz Cheney is that she doesn't have a voting record, but she does have a pedigree. Add to that, every Republican woman in the US Senate has been a disappointment. Add to that, there are plenty of 'pub US Senators up for re-election a whole lot more liberal than Enzi, but not anywhere so close to being a sure win for the Republican nominee.

I don't understand the logic behind articles like this. The establishment RINOs did nothing to save Enzi. I'd think he'd want to ally himself even more closely with Ted Cruz and Mike Lee (etc) now.