Sometimes there is good reason to run against the Republican establishment. When it taps candidates who favor big government initiatives and pro-union legislation, GOP leaders put their own interests ahead of the rank and file of their party. Yet, sometimes, some conservatives have come so much to scorn the GOP establishment that they have forgotten why they’re opposing the establishment. It’s as if opposing that establishment has become a thing into itself, opposing it for the sake of opposing it.
So resentful is Chuck DeVore that Washington Republicans tapped Carly Fiorina, his rival for the GOP Senate nomination in the Golden State, that his campaign, in a bid to raise a few bucks, is tarring that Reagan Republican as the choice of the “D.C.-based Republican establishment.”
In a fund-raising e-mail to supporters, DeVore mentions Carly’s appearance, but doesn’t criticize anything she said. That is, it’s not her message that bothered him, but the GOP’s choice to have her offer the message. This isn’t about ideas, it’s about self-interest.
DeVore all but gives away the game in the concluding line of his e-mail, “Any amount you can donate will go to support our conservative cause and defeat the establishment in Washington, D.C.” And I thought the goal was to defeat Barbara Boxer. She’s the one who’s liberal partisanship and big government ways have not helped the Golden State these past seventeen years.
In delivering the Weekly Republican Address on Saturday, Carly Fiorina made her conservative bona fides increasingly clear. And Chuck DeVore used that appearance to continue his war on the GOP establishment. But, unlike Marco Rubio in Florida, DeVore’s battle is not against an establishment candidate who backs big-government policies, but against a conservative Republican who shares Ronald Reagan’s vision.
And don’t we want to push the GOP establishment in the direction of that good man’s great ideas?
I like Chuck. Carly is not “conservative” in the least. I mean the woman is a huge supporter of off shoring American jobs. Nope not a fan.
Without getting involved in the particulars of this case, it does illustrate the depth of anger which is out there. While Fiorina may be all you say she is, the fact is that anyone connected with the establishment is in danger for 2010. Out here in Nevada, the Powers That Be appear to be resolving upon Lowden or, failing that, Tarkanian as the candidate to take on Reid – and that, in and of itself, is causing a sense of unease among Nevada conservatives. Lowden is very establishment, so is Tarkanian – while both of them are touting the conservative line right now, there is a fear we’re getting a RINO in conservative clothing. I imagine there is a bit of this in California, as well.
Fiorina’s best option, I figure, is to distance herself from the establishment as much as possible – pick one or two TEA Party issues and hold fast to them as a means of demonstrating her bona fides.
We are seeing the same thing here in Colorado. Until about a month ago there were three candidates in the Governor’s race: former GOP congressman Scott McInnis, current State Senate Majority leader Josh Penry, and business man with no political experience Dan Maes. Penry, the conservative base favorite, dropped out and endorsed McInnis who is seen to be the “establishment” choice (in no small part because he is the most successful at raising money). Dan Maes, always a no-chancer, is now resentful.
At the same time that Penry dropped out, the McInnis camp and the CO Party apparatus rolled out the “Platform for Prosperity.” Maes started playing the anti-establishment shtick very quickly. He complained that the platform could have been stolen from his own website, implying that it is somehow illegitimate coming from McInnis. Similarly, I just read a blog post about how the Platform was “misappropriated” from the tea party movement and Colorado Republicans are not given a real choice. Since they admit their ideal candidate would have the same message, I am scratching my head to figure out what these angry bloggers and activists want a choice about.
So Carly was for the bailout/stimulus before she was against it? Just sayin… ’cause it’s true.
Jenn, do you want to back up you assertion that Carly’s not conservative or, like DeVore’s campaign, are you making up facts to make your case and make her into a Dede Scozzafava?
how much is carly paying you?
Evening all. Are these two not going to have an open debate? Isn’t that part of the nomination process? You can probably form a much more accurate opinion of someone by watching them interact with their opponent then by watching youtube solo speeches.
Well there is this for a start,which I would think a blogger could most appreciate… from Ed Morrisey at HotAir http://tinyurl.com/yjvoxlo Got to regulate that internet,don’t ya know.The gov’t does a better job than parents & women just have to be protected…Gag!
Or how about she was in favor of the Sotomayor nomination…
Or more importantly what is it that says to you that she is a conservative & not a RINO? What do you know about her political record…She’s voted R for last how many elections? Oh,that’s right! She didn’t bother to vote…That makes me as a Republican woman a better candidate than her since I have at least voted in every election since 1972.But up until about 2 years ago,I was definitely not a political activist,nor can I seriously be considered one now. Even if I had Carley’s money & contacts I would NOT be qualified to run for office. Why oh,why would we want another Country Club Republican to run a milktoast campaign against Boxer?
But,I’m going to vote for the candidate that has a proven track record of being a conservative,supports and understands the Constitution,and in a state full of wishy washy politicians & people stands for something.
That candidate is Chuck DeVore.
@flicka47
Um, flicka, another DeVore lie. Carly does not support regulating the internet; that claim has long since been discredit.
Calling her a Country Club Republican running a milquetoast campaign against Ma’am? Huh? You been following her campaign at all. Hardly milquetoast-y. She’s been hitting that mean-spirited leftist pretty hard for her big-government votes.
Go read her writings, her statements and her releases and don’t rely on DeVore’s distortions.
Daniel,
Did you READ what she said about the internet,or just going on you gut feeling. HER words are there in black and white at the Hot Air site…What she didn’t mean it & takes it back?
How come it is someone who has never had political opinions before all of a sudden gets more credence than someone with a provable track record???
Oh,yeah,she’s coming out tough,by copying what Chuck DeVore has been saying and doing for years…She’s found her voice!
More importantly,why once again is the Republican National Committee interfering in state politics?
Money & mailing lists & God only knows what for THEIR preferred candidate?
I think Californians deserve a level playing field to pick their own candidates,and that is not happening,is it?
Here you go,a comparison in their own words of Boxer,Carley & Chuck on the issues. RedState does the work so you don’t have to…
http://tinyurl.com/yzdmnmv
Still think Carley isn’t Dem-Lite?
Sorry, flickr, you haven’t come up with anything. You link one post which pulls a Carly quote out of context and makes claims not based on her record, but what critics are saying about her.
Also, um, where is the RNC interfering in this race? While I support Carly, I don’t think any party apparatus should back her–or any contender in contested primary, save where that contender is running against someone like David Duke or Pat Buchanan on the one hand or Dede Scozzafava on the other.
And while Carly may have said something indicative of a belief in AGW, she has never come out for Cap ‘n Trade. And that’s what really matters.
And yes, I read what you said about the Internet.
Copying what Chuck DeVore is has been saying, huh? By that logic, then your guy is a copy-cat, copying what Ronald Reagan had been saying. And I don’t fault him for that. I think he has, on the whole, a fine record, just fault him for misrepresenting Carly’s.
Oh, and I think it’s a good thing, a very good thing to have a candidate coming from outside the political sphere. Our problem for too long has been career politicians, out of touch with people who create jobs. . . and pay taxes.
OK,if you don’t think that the RNC isn’t backing Carley could you explain how come she has every R’s email address? She has mine,which I didn’t give her & only place it COULD have come from is RNC…
Chuck Devore didn’t get the same “courtesy”
And how do you see Chuck as “mis-representing” Carley? Since you can’t find any positions she has taken before this year?
So you like Carley,but don’t bad-mouth Chuck for pointing out she had no position before & now she is saying what Chuck has lived for years.
I’m not badmouthing Chuck; I’m only faulting him for misrepresenting Carly’s record.
Should he win the primary, he’ll be the only person who could remove Ma’am from the Senate and that should be the goal of this race–sending Barbara Boxer packing. I do hope you feel about Carly should she win the primary.
Will I vote for her if she wins the primary? Yes.
Will I be happy about? No. Do I think she can beat Boxer? No.
Do I think Chuck can beat Boxer? Definitely a better chance than Carley!
Well, flicka, I don’t think DeVore can beat Boxer and believe the GOP candidates should concentrate their fire on that mean-spirited liberal. I have some serious concerns about DeVore, but will try to keep them to myself, only faulting him (as I do above) when he unfairly or childishly attacks Carly.
And I think she should do the same. Her comment, for example. about a woman being better able to beat Ma’am may be true, but it was not an appropriate thing for her to say.
Please, this race is not about issues California voters are hot and bothered about, it’s the usual Social Conservative, the only thing that matters is abortion crowd making noise again.
California is not the Deep South BibleStan where folks are going to vote only for the most hard core anti-abortion, let’s go bomb an abortion clinic types that are trying to take over the Republican party.
DeVore is going to run hard right, pander to the social conservative wacks and get beat in the general, even if he wins the Republican primary.