Posted on 11/06/2008 2:41:29 PM PST by WilliamReading
Florida Rep. Adam Putnam, considered a rising star in the Republican Party, made a surprise announcement Tuesday, relinquishing his position as the third-ranking Republican in the House. "With the issues before us today come bipartisan opportunities and partisan differences," Putnam said. "My current role obligates me to the latter and too often excludes me from the former. I want to fight the battles worth fighting and lock arms to strengthen our nation whenever possible," said Putnam, 34, who added he came to his decision "reluctantly."
(Excerpt) Read more at smartbrief.com ...
What happened to Adam Putnam? I thought he was a rising star in the Republican Party, and possible future Senator for Florida.
Anyone know the inside story here?
did he get a job offer for a lot more money?
ALL of the current leadership’s gotta go. The conservative coup is going on right now.
They had their chance, got everything they want, and they failed TWICE. Now, it’s our turn.
The problem was George W. Bush and Treasury Secretary Hank Paulson, why blame the powerless Republican Leadership?
Bush is the weakest lame duck president since Jimmy Carter or Herbert Hoover.
Putnam wanted to purdue “bipartisan opportunities,” or in other words cave to the. messiah on everything. This is a good sign that Congressional Republicans are abandoning the failed RINO appeasement strategy.
O Lawd. Another bipartisan. Good riddance.
They ALL must go. Even ones who aren’t bad apples must go. We are trying to return to our roots and mend our fractured relationship with the American people. The old guard must go.
House leadership has failed. They supported that sham of a bailout bill and rammed it down the throats of many Republican house members. Unacceptable.
They don’t need to be kicked to the curb. The Republican Party can be a big tent. However, conservatives are the poles that hold up that tent. We all need to remember that while they are entitled to use our tent as shelter for their cocktail party, counting on them to hold up the tent will only result in the collapse of the entire structure.
We’re putting the tent back up as of today.
These people either need to term limit themselves back to their former day jobs or grow some real cajones!
What they do now is supposed to matter?
Why do we keep blaming the small contingent of faithful conservatives in the house. We watch them be voted out too. I think the blame lies with the senate repubs amd rinos in house. Plus if u look at the garbage they have to prevail against its no wonder.
Two things that likely did in Putnam:
Supported the Bailout....one of the few GOP House members from Florida to do so.
Also, two GOP House members in nearby Florida districts lost, and badly, to Dem. challengers. Most troubling was Ric Keller losing to San Francisco-style liberal Alan Grayson.
Granted the two Orlando area GOP House members had some other issues (Keller with not supporting Iraq surge....Tom Feeney with Jack Abrahamoff), but the margin of their losses was troubling.
Also, Putnam isnt really the best choice to get the GOP nod over incumbent “Senator Illegal Alien” Mel Martinez....Current Florida Atty Gen Bill McCollum and US House Rep John Mica (my preference) are much better choices....and can beat any Democrat challenger
My guess is that he wants to run for Senator of Florida next time and doesn’t want to be tagged as a movement conservative.
He needs to appeal to independents if he wants to be Senator.
A congressman can be extremely conservative if his district is gerrymandered to be Republican. Not so a Senator.
Good for you , Adam Putnam, I will be voting for you for Senator soon.
I doubt if Martinez is stepping down. Putnam will run for Nelson’s seat in four years.
I think the long overdue purge is already under way. Time to get rid of the RINOs.
I got the impression Jeb or Crist was going to go for the Martinez seat.
Putnam can run, but he’ll probably lose the primary.
I doubt that’s what this is all about. He’s stepping down, because this is the time, after an election, that leaders are chosen. It’s been made clear that we will be choosing new leaders. At least for the most part. Boehner seems to want to stay, which I am very much against.
You gotta be joking about Crist running for Senator Martinez seat.
Do you have any information that Martinez is stepping down? No one would dare challenge him in the primary.
It’s a rumor that he may be primaried, because he has low approval ratings and probably won’t win the general. So, yes, someone WOULD dare.
This is politics. We’re not losing a Senate seat to be nice to a likely loser.
I wouldnt be so sure....not a lot of people happy w Martinez and his support of the McCain-Kennedy bill...also his poor leadership as RNC chair does not sit well, either.
A conservative GOP challenge would easily unseat him.
As Florida drifts more left...will need a candidate that can rally the conservative base.
nice post.
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