EARTH TO SPEAKER HASTERT — WE HAVE A PROBLEM…IN THE 50TH CD.
Today, House of Representatives Speaker Dennis Hastert will be appearing in San Diego at a 
fundraising event for federal lobbyist and former Congressman Brian Bilbray. Bilbray, as you know narrowly (by 1%) won the GOP side of the special election to fill out the unexpired term of former-Congressman-now-convict Randy "Duke’ Cunningham.
Hastert’s visit is motivated by one factor — he wants to keep this ‘safe GOP’ seat represented by a Republican. Well, here is something very important for the Speaker and other national Republican leaders to understanding. As a matter of fact, they need to really etch it into their brains:
BRIAN BILBRAY GOT SUCH A SMALL SLIVER OF THE TOTAL VOTES CASTS FOR REPUBLICANS, SOME OF THEM CROSS-OVER VOTES FROM DEMOCRATS AND INDEPENDENTS. HE IS GOING TO HAVE A EXTRAORDINARILY TOUGH TIME RALLYING GOP VOTERS TO COME OUT AND VOTE FOR HIM BECAUSE (A) HE HAS SUCH A POOR RECORD ON MANY ISSUES IMPORTANT TO REPUBLICANS, (B) CONSERVATIVES ARE NOT HAPPY WITH WHAT IS GOING ON IN WASHINGTON VIS A VIS GOP SPENDING, (C) BEING A LOBBYIST, ESPECIALLY IN THIS DISTRICT, IS A NEGATIVE.
Oh, was I shouting? Sorry. Let me reiterate that I think that Bilbray would be a better vote in Congress than Busby, but Bilbray is also no conservative, and will actually likely set back our cause to bring fiscal discipline to our Republican majority that has lost its way.
**There is more – click the link — including a lot on the BIG BONDS**
May 5th, 2006 at 12:00 am
Jon,
You’re fighting the good fight, but I think you’re marching up a hill that’s impossible to take. Hastert and the rest of the national GOP leadership will never abandon their mindless incumbent protection and perpetuation of the insider “club.” That’s why they’re going to lose one or both houses of Congress in November – and they deserve to.