Racicot not interested in running in Taylor's place [Montana]

KTVM The News Leader [Helena, Montana] ^ | 10/10/02 | Unknown

[ThePythonicCow]

Helena-AP) -- Former Montana Governor Marc Racicot (RAH'-skoh) has been approached about running for the U-S Senate in place of Republican Mike Taylor, but state G-O-P chairman Ken Miller says Racicot declined.

A campaign spokesman confirms that Taylor will drop out of the race today. That comes less than a week after Democrats began airing a T-V ad, accusing Taylor of a scam involving student loan money when he ran a beauty school in Colorado. The ad includes videotape of Taylor from the 1980s, in which he is wearing an open-front shirt and gold chains, while massaging a man's face, Taylor spokesman Bowen Greenwood says Taylor believes it is an attempt by Democrats to portray him as a homosexual. Democrats deny the charge.

A state election official says it's too late for Republicans to replace Taylor on the ballot, but says write-in candidates can file up to 15 days before the November 5th election.

[ThePythonicCow]

Darn - Racicot could have made a race of this.

[ThePythonicCow]

There's a related, longer, thread, on Taylor's withdrawal at: GOP Taylor Withdrawing from Montana Senate Race.

[Willie Green]

Looks like the RNC really isn't interested in taking back the Senate.

[Cate]

I think overall, Racicot is right where he needs to be, leading the RNC. Even though he would have probably won hands down if he had chosen to run the race from the start, we still have to respect that it is his decision to run or not. He has not abandoned the Republican party of Montana, he has just expanded his horizons. I have full confidence that the Republicans will prevail overall.

[churchillbuff]

I think overall, Racicot is right where he needs to be

I don't follow. He's unwilling to help the GOP gain a Senate seat - How does that qualify him to be chairman of the party? He certainly has the right not to answer the party's need and run in MT, but if he's putting other, personal priorities first -- which he's perfectly free to do -- why in heaven's name should he be made head of the party?

[churchillbuff]

Looks like the RNC really isn't interested in taking back the Senate.

Well, at least RACICOT isn't that interested in winning back the Senate. If he shared the average freeper's outrage over Daschle and Leahy et al, he'd jump into the ring and help win back the Senate. Obviously there are other, personal priorities that come first with Racicot. Fine, that's his right -- - but why reward him by making him chair of the GOP, the very party he can't be bothered to help?

[JulieRNR21]

There may also be reluctance to 'break' the election laws ala the NJ RATs.....GOP wants to claim the high moral ground....sure hope we get a Senate majority despite losing Montana.

[Cate]

The Senate race in Montana is very important, but as leader of our party, he can do more behind the scenes than a junior senate seat. He is very articulate and well versed in the law. He is definitely an asset to us.

[cricket]

here may also be reluctance to 'break' the election laws ala the NJ RATs.....GOP wants to claim the high moral ground....sure hope we get a Senate majority despite losing Montana

. . .pulleeeze, I hope this is not the case; meantime. . .who will run as the Repub in Montanna and will he be able to win?

[JulieRNR21]

I'm not familiar with Montana politics...perhaps the one who started this thread can enlighten us?

[ffrancone]

THINK I'M GONNA . . . CRY!.
THE REPUBLICANS TOOK BACK THE SENATE.

HELP MAKE THIS HAPPEN! GO TO:

TakeBackCongress.org

A resource for conservatives who want a Republican majority in the Senate

[ThePythonicCow]

I am not familar with Montana politics, and I don't know who might run now. Sorry.

[Maximum Leader]

Its about money.

The Chairman of the RNC makes more than a senator and, if I remember the RNC rules correctly, he can employed by a law frim as a lobbyist at the same time he serves as chairman.

My own feeling is that when the party leans on you to run for an office, you either run or you find a job outside politics. Bush didn't do the party any favors by making Racicot chairman of the RNC.

[ATOMIC_PUNK]

Course not Republicans still know what the rule of law is and means

[Hildy]

Yea, nice guys finish last...always.

[deport]

who will run as the Repub in Montanna and will he be able to win?

Probably no one will be able to defeat Baucus if this is correct.....

A recent poll by the Lee Newspapers of Montana showed Baucus with a commanding lead of 54 percent to Taylor's 35. Green party candidate Robert Kelleher of Butte had 1 percent and Libertarian Stan Jones of Bozeman had none. Ten percent were undecided. The poll had a margin of error of plus/minus 4 percentage points.

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/766712/posts?

[Mr. Morals]

Putting Racicot as a write-in would be pointless.

The usual fact is that write-ins rarely win, in fact the only ones since Strom Thurmond's Senate win in 1954 have been term-limited incumbents that are excepted if they win a write-in vote.

Also, with write-ins, the rule sometimes is that the name can't have any spelling errors. If that is the case in Montana, anyone can sue to have misspelled ballots counted as under votes. Most people will spell his name R-O-S-C-O-E or put M-A-R-K instead of the proper spelling M-A-R-C on their ballots.

In Washington, DC this year, Mayor Anthony Williams was on course to an easy re-election when he was thrown off the ballot. He had to raise --and spend-- a small fortune to educate voters how to write in his name. Same thing with Ol' Strom back in '54.

The GOP would be best to write off Montana and extoll the fact that they didn't pull off shenanigans. It may pay off well nationwide for such a low risk in the first place.

[ClancyJ]

And just who will listen as we tell them how "good" we were not to put in another candidate. We cannot keep on writing off states. We must get control of the senate out of the hands of Daschle and Leahy.

We go to war to fight tyrants and dictators. We never beat them by letting others know how "good" we were.

[churchillbuff]

We cannot keep on writing off states.

"WE" didn't write off Montana. Basically, Racicot did.

[churchillbuff]

Darn - Racicot could have made a race of this.

Yeah, he's really giving it all for the cause --- NOT