Steele: I’m open to supporting primary challengers for Collins, Snowe, and Specter
posted at 7:00 pm on February 23, 2009 by Allahpundit
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Not as exciting as it sounds. All he’s doing, really, is punting the matter to the state GOPs. If they want to force a primary showdown by backing another candidate, he’ll follow their lead at the national level — or so he says. And why not? He has almost nothing to lose by saying it. They’re the three least popular politicians in America right now among the base, The One excepted, and the likelihood that he’ll ever have to act on it is low. The idea of Republicans in Maine, of all places, trying to unseat not one but two moderate incumbents only to have Democrats crush their handpicked hardline conservative replacements in the general election is comical. A Republican challenge to Specter is trickier since it’s more likely and Steele will be worried about the big picture in the Senate. Would he really oppose Benedict Arlen, an incumbent, if he’s the last thing standing between the Democrats and 60 votes? The only way, I think, is if the party’s positioned for gains in 2010, in which case he might do something bold to prove to his critics that he’s a “true” conservative after all. Short of that, no way.
Then again, punishing Republicans who don’t toe the party line is all the rage, suddenly. Look out, turncoats! Click the image to watch.
Update: The only one who’s up for re-election next time is Specter. Unless you think the stimulus vote will still be reverberating in 2012 or 2014, you can forget about this sinking Snowe or Collins.
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I have some e-mails to answer, so I think I should say, Good night all.
Constance on February 23, 2009 at 9:33 PM
+2
Starlink on February 23, 2009 at 9:33 PM
I am still chuckling over you people selecting a guy who lost his last election by more than 10% as rnc chair! :D
benny shakar on February 23, 2009 at 9:47 PM
UNREPENTANT CONSERVATIVE CAPITOLIST on February 23, 2009 at 9:50 PM
I truly feel sorry for you, and people like you.
Slublog on February 23, 2009 at 9:52 PM
Funny how Republicans that vote against the Dems are labeled as ‘neo cons’…as if that were a bad thing. They’d be quite content with all Republicans being closet Liberals.
How about the fundamental idea of Republicanism that you don’t create a bigger government than you really need and let the market do its thing, accepting slumps along the way as part of the process? Or how about the notion that government cannot solve all problems?
Or is the above just too Neanderthal and extremist?
Dr. ZhivBlago on February 23, 2009 at 9:56 PM
As opposed to Screech McDean? You’re one to be casting stones.
Christ, my irony meter just melted down….
nukemhill on February 23, 2009 at 9:57 PM
When has Arlen Specter ever stood with Republicans on a contentious issue?
Half the time he votes like a conservative Democrat–and the other half of the time he votes like a liberal Democrat.
We don’t need him.
daryl_herbert on February 23, 2009 at 10:04 PM
There is no hope in Mr. Steele’s statement that his job is basically dictated by the state party heads. The same state party heads in PA that disinvited Lt. Col. Russell from the Palin/McCain rally?
Ya think?
No way. These folks are so in bed with the Jack Murtha’s of the world. its going to take some national “encouragement” for Mr. Steele to override the state party.
Very shortly, a wonderful PA patriot and leader will be announcing his/her candidacy, I believe.
Let the word go forth from this time and place, “NOT ONE DIME FOR ARLEN SPECTOR”. and if the National Party gives him the necessary funds, then I am done with them. Done.
We are being enslaved by our own party.
HonestConservative on February 23, 2009 at 10:07 PM
Yes, as opposed to the man who won five consecutive elections as Governor, and who orchestrated the “50-State Strategy” that resulted in President Obama’s landslide 365-173 electoral college victory in 2008. :D
benny shakar on February 23, 2009 at 10:17 PM
Ditto, like on the evening of their votes.
ex-Democrat on February 23, 2009 at 10:46 PM
That was a great showing given he was running in commie Maryland and Schmuckie Schumer was playing H&R Block.
ex-Democrat on February 23, 2009 at 10:48 PM
If Steele does this…. this will be a start.
If he continues to do this… this will be improvement.
If this works… I’ll say he’s qualified.
Right now I look at this and part of me says it’s a good start. The other half sighs and says that is a lot of ifs.
Chaz706 on February 23, 2009 at 10:53 PM
Honest Conservative,
I quit giving to the national party because of how they supported Spectre back in ‘04 against a real conservative. I now pinpoint my contributions directly to the candidate and select who to support myself. Because I have done that in races outside of my state of MI, I am getting way too many calls every day from every conservative group out there. That part pisses me off. I want the personal privacy to make my decisions and have zero interest in having part of my donations paying for the cost of using a call center. I am working on getting everyone to remove me from their call list.
karenhasfreedom on February 23, 2009 at 11:06 PM
Hmm. Nice double-standard there, asshat. For Steele, it’s that he lost his last election by 10 points. Never mind that he and Erlich were the first Republicans to hold the Governor’s office in Maryland in 40 years. But for Dean, who couldn’t even make it to the end of his last campaign, because he was such a fucktard on the campaign trail, we suddenly see his subsequent victory laps with Obama. Like Dean had shit-all to do with that. He found himself a big-ass set of coattails to ride, and let The One do all the real work. I swear to God, Obama’s balls must shrink every time Dean-o opens his mouth. Dean’s an embarrassment to humanity.
I have no idea how well Steele is going to do. I think he’s got a chance to make a difference. He’s definitely playing to a tough crowd, and the national scene is ridiculously bad for Republicans right now. We’ll see. But if this retarded “gotcha” moment you’ve delivered to us is any indication, then the future does, indeed, look bright for anyone to the right of a lump of clay.
Which pretty much leaves Pelosi, Reid, and their sycophants out in the cold.
nukemhill on February 23, 2009 at 11:11 PM
I like Mike!
sonnyspats1 on February 24, 2009 at 12:18 AM
Having an R behind the names means absolutely nothing. These two will continually vote with barry. The republicans should give up the idea that they will get anyone loyal from certain areas and go hard after purple and blue states. Some areas will never be won back but others shift. Clear communication of conservative ideas and policies with concise, consistent and understandable opposition to the democrats fascist policies. This is not a liberal country, it is a dysfunctional and brainwashed country. Most of the loyal democrats I know live their lives in a conservative manner and don’t even understand what their party is really all about. Mention socialism to these democrat voters and they think you are insane. That’s because on the national public level the republicans mealy mouth and apologize for pointing out the truth. The whole problem is communication and commitment, it doesn’t exist on the national level for conservative thought in the republican party.
peacenprosperity on February 24, 2009 at 7:18 AM
Specter, Snowe, and Collins, beware!
You three RINOs thought you had to fear being thrown under the B.O. Bus?
Prepare to face the wrath of the STEELE STEAMROLLER!!!!!
pilamaye on February 24, 2009 at 7:46 AM
I read over the weekend that Specter asked a group of young Democrats here in PA to change their registration to Republican for his primary to vote just for him because he said it will be a tough race for him…he’s their guy, don’t you know. He said they could then switch back to Democrats.
deedledee on February 24, 2009 at 7:53 AM
As I said before, even if any of the three were to be replaced by real Democrats, it wouldn’t make any difference.
If fact there’s a chance that a real Democrat would vote with the Republicans more frequently than any of the three have.
MarkTheGreat on February 24, 2009 at 8:02 AM
Actually, there would be one difference.
If the three were replaced by real Democrats, then Reid would no longer be able to claim that his measures were bi-partisan, just because three pseudo Republicans voted with him.
MarkTheGreat on February 24, 2009 at 8:03 AM
punishing Republicans who
don’t toe the party linesell the Republic down the river is all the rageFixed it for you. No need to thank me.
Wanna tell me that a moderate challenger to Snowe or Collins who hammers them on the Porkulus won’t tap into popular sentiment? remember, that’s what moderates do: stick their finger in the wind, and see which way it’s blowing. Something that neither Snowe or Collins can do at this point.
At best, they can issue a mea culpa and hope the Porkulus doesn’t hurt the economy too badly.
I R A Darth Aggie on February 24, 2009 at 9:52 AM
For all the guff that these three have taken, their stand was probably an important one. We all hated the bill, that much is clear. But it was going to get done in some form or another. Any changes that we could have achieved would have been little more than window dressing. In the end, we didn’t want to filibuster the bill. We wanted it to pass so that the GOP can stand firm against it and make it the Democrats’ problem.
Selkirk on February 24, 2009 at 9:56 AM
If a state GOP apparatus is run by a bunch of Rinos, Steele would help them get rid of a conservative senator. That is precisely what he is saying in this interview.
Cavuto should have hit him with that and forced Steele to make a stand. Good for Cavuto for at least bringing up the traitors and forcing Steele to acknowledge their existence.
Buddahpundit on February 24, 2009 at 10:08 AM
Who is this “we” of which you speak?
Buddahpundit on February 24, 2009 at 10:11 AM
I think AP’s analysis of Steele’s comments is pretty much right on, but hopefully Steele has bigger ummm … more intestinal fortitude than Allah suggests.
As for Maine, well, there doesn’t seem to be any sort of conservative thought there, so I suppose you’re better off with two liberal Republicans than with two liberal Democrats. Now, if the tide turns and the GOP picks up half a dozen Senate seats, then I’d rather push them out and deal with minority liberals. But that seems unlikely.
Jaibones on February 24, 2009 at 12:21 PM
I see your point, and I don’t disagree. If you start be assuming that this pig would have been passed in some form, even if our liberals from Maine had negotiated away some minor points, then yes, it’s good to pass the ugliest bills possible and then hang it around O’Bonehead’s neck, and the necks at the DNC.
I can see that. I’d rather we had been able to defeat the plan entirely, but we needed a conservative movement in order to do that, and we don’t have one in the Senate.
Jaibones on February 24, 2009 at 12:25 PM
It a certainty. If Steele repeats the Bush/Rove mistake of 2004 by supporting Benedict Arlen vs the conservative, he will not only lose that Senate seat–conservatives will make defeating Arlen goal #1–he will also lose PA conservative support for all other GOP candidates. Bidding Arlen adieu is going to be a matter of survival for GOP candidates in PA.
james23 on February 24, 2009 at 1:18 PM
2010 is where the focus needs to be. Some pressure now could go a ways toward avoiding more debacles like this porkulous package.
EconomicNeocon on February 24, 2009 at 3:08 PM
Forget about them. How about standing some opponents up against Pelosi, Reed, Rangel, in fact every California Senator? They run unopposed every term, and will be there until they take their last breath. Might as well include opposition to Kennedy. There has to be someone attractive enough to displace several of these morons. Can’t take over if we don’t try. Liberal voters are too stupid to force them out by themselves.
stacman on February 24, 2009 at 3:52 PM
Republicans have suffered from a failure to recruit strong candidates in the last two cycles, especially in the Northeast. Steele needs to recruit strong conservative challenges to the Democrat seats first, however, and the renegade Republicans second.
RickMarsh on February 24, 2009 at 4:00 PM
History shows that moderates f%$& up the party every time we listen to them. It’s the 70s all over again. You must be one of the neo-libertarians who was born in the late 70s too late to really remember the nightmare. Hopefully we won’t have to get a gas buying number and go either on odd or even days. Waiting in the car for hours to pump up will suck.
Sultry Beauty on February 24, 2009 at 4:45 PM
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