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EDITOR OF REDSTATE

Jeb Hensarling Becomes a Party Man

By: Erick Erickson (Diary)  |  October 9th, 2009 at 11:59 AM  | 

RESIZE: AAA

Former Chairman of the conservative Republican Study Committee Mike Pence is not giving Dede Scozzafava money and is not endorsing her. He refuses to side with an ACORN supported leftist.

Contrast that with the most recent former Chairman of the RSC, Jeb Hensarling, a man I have long admired and the first member of Congress I ever donated to. Congressman Hensarling is throwing his principles out the window and supporting Dede Scozzafava,

It’s the establishment thing to do.

I am a big fan of Jeb Hensarling, but today he earns our ire. I believe he is a conservative, but this is a troubling sign that he is becoming a party man. When one will so easily sell out principles for power — and this goes for all the conservatives willing to line up with the establishment backing Dede — we must be concerned.

And has anyone pointed out that this seat goes away in a year thanks to New York losing seats in redistricting? All this for what? Nothing.

*I have reconsidered and tried to make this a more temperate post, but I sure am hacked off about this.

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COMMENTS

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  • crosley

    I think it’s a bad habit to get into encouraging conservatives to vote for 3rd parties. I really feel the primary is the time and place to make the case. If voters are told by influential leaders to start voting for these constitutional/conservative political parties, Democrats would run this country for a generation.

    All it would take is around 5% of conservatives to vote 3rd party, and Republicans would be completely shut out of power. Imagine how wonderful it would be if the Green Party consistently attracted 5% of the vote. Ralph Nader is the reason why Al Gore didn’t win the White House.

    Once in a blue moon, you truly get a Republican that is so liberal you want to see the Democrat win. The last example I can think of was Lincoln Chafee, but this is extraordinarily rare, and this type of kamikaze voting should be approached with care.

    If I were in the above district, I would probably vote for the Conservative Party candidate, but I can completely understand Republicans in positions of leadership not backing a 3rd party candidate.

    I personally would prefer a RINO or two slip through than Republicans being encouraged to vote 3rd party. There are countless elections that are won by only a few percentage points where a third party has thrown the election to the Democrat.

  • http://online.logcabin.org/about/ suzieQ

    http://www.politico.com/blogs/scorecard/1009/NRA_endorses_Scozzafava.html?showall

    “The National Rifle Association endorsed Republican Dede Scozzafava in the New York special election today, giving her campaign a significant boost as she works to rally GOP voters to her side.

    Scozzafava received an “A” rating from the NRA based on her voting record in the state Assembly and responses to an NRA questionnaire.

    ?During your tenure in the New York Assembly, you have been a strong and consistent supporter of the Second Amendment,? NRA chairman Chris Cox wrote in an endorsement letter to Scozzafava.

    ?You are the only candidate in this special congressional election with a solid pro-gun legislative record.?

  • TxCon

    nt

  • maddog

    Jeb may have been reprising his old role of Executive Director of NRSC (1992 cycle) where his task was to have Republicans win seats and not necessarily conservatives.

    I’m not defending, just explaining.

  • jimc1969

    What makes Erick so sure this will be one of the eliminated distircts due to redistricting ?
    Certainly he might know something I don’t but its seems awfully early to know that info ?

  • grinlap

    supported Arlen Specter over Pat Toomey. How’s that working out? I support the man regardless of his party. I long ago gave up donating to any of the party campaign committees because they pass it on to folks I can’t stand. Donate to and vote for candidates that reflect your ideals.

  • ktsub

    I fully support the NRCC, their job is to elect Republicans. Who is to blame is the NY GOP leaders who selected Dede (if you want to blame anyone), this is not the NRCC’s fault, they have a job to elect Republicans, to retire Nancy Pelosi.

    The circular firing squad should not be aimed at the Pete Sessions, its the NYGOP, this is when CONSERVATIVES in the district should involve themselfs with the party. Third Parties will kill conservatives, ask GHWB, Perot ended his career and we got 8 years of liberals.

    The NRA endorsment should be telling, in NY, Dede will be great, the liberals will hate her, too.