Republican "Club" takes aim at moderate Chafee

[Judi Lynn]

Republican "Club" takes aim at moderate Chafee
Mon Sep 11, 2006 2:44pm ET

By John Whitesides, Political Correspondent

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The conservative Club for Growth, which has angered some Republicans for years with a series of well-funded challenges of party moderates, is taking aim at its biggest target yet -- Republican Sen. Lincoln Chafee of Rhode Island.

The group, which advocates tax cuts, free trade and limited government, has raised more than $700,000 for Chafee's conservative challenger and helped put the moderate senator at risk in Tuesday's Republican primary in Rhode Island.

The maverick Chafee has frequently opposed the policies of President George W. Bush, but the White House and Republican Party establishment have rallied to his defense in the belief that he has the best shot at keeping the seat out of Democrat hands.

That is precisely the sort of pragmatic politics rejected by the 36,000-member Club for Growth, which often targets moderate Republican incumbents who do not support the group's conservative economic views.
(snip/...)

http://today.reuters.com/news/articlenews.aspx?type=politicsNews&storyID=2006-09-11T184433Z_01_N11202483_RTRUKOC_0_US-REPUBLICANS.xml

[davidinalameda]

1. hope they take him out

Laffey will be much easier to knock off come November

[m_welby]

6. no club for growth candidate

should ever win anything, anywhere, anytime, ever. It emboldens them and punishes anyone who opposes their agenda.

THEY ARE EVIL !!
THEY NEED TO BE STOPPED !!

I certainly do not want to reward them or help them accomplish their goals in any way. If that means a tighter race in november, then so be it.


Personally, I prefer to have (for once) an election where I don't have to choose between the crappy politician and the crappier politician.

chafee and whitehouse are both good men who'll do right by their constituents. it should be interesting.

[BurgherHoldtheLies]

2. Ironically, this same group is painting Santorum as a "moderate" in PA ads

They are the most misleading and twisted ads making it appear that pRicky is a friend of seniors.

[stillcool]

3. I like Chafee...

...he votes, and talks...better than some dems. I don't understand why he is disliked so much...I must have missed that day! Maybe someone can clue me in.

[Dob Bole]

4. I think we just need his seat...

Personally, I think that any Senator who voted against the Iraq war needs to stay in the Senate, and that he could be convinced to coalition with Democrats if we were close to a majority. But that isn't the party line: we have a two-party system and Democrats need to run someone.

[m_welby]

8. unfortunately true.

Chafee pretty much must lose in november, there is no way to take back the senate wihout the seat, that means linc is pretty much doomed unless whitehouse self destructs.

[denverbill]

7. Same reason Republicans like Lieberman.

I like Chafee fine myself too, and a few other Republicans. Old-school, moderate-liberal Republicans. Most DU'ers probably think Chafee is ok too. But as long as he causes with the Republicans, he keeps the Senate in Republican hands, and keeps Democrats from controlling the agenda, investigating Bush & his cronies, etc. If Chafee loses the primary, a Democrat will very likely win the Senate seat.

[flaminbats]

9. I hope he learns a lesson..

if Chaffee survives this election he needs to switch parties!

[stillcool]

12. thanks ...too bad...

he's from a blue state...although I guess the red ones wouldn't have him.. Shame.

[warrens]

13. He votes with the Repukes 85 percent of the time

He's a freaking Dem in his personal views, but he only votes with us when his vote won't matter. When the chips are down, he's right there with Smirk n Snarl.

[Beowulf]

16. There's only one vote that really counts

and that's the vote for senate majority leader. I don't care what the rest of his voting record is. The way the Repubs run the Senate, having a maverick like Chafee is just a distraction.

[IthinkThereforeIAM]

5. Club for Growth...

... was found to be illegal in operation during the 2004 campaigns. Their attack ads on Daschle in South Dakota were found to be illegally funded and they had their designation for political campaigning changed by the court.

[brentspeak]

11. They also funded anonymous, automated phone calls in NJ during 2002

"This is a message concerning Ann Sumers (the Democratic candidate opposing RWingnut, Scott Garrett): Ann Sumers wants to raise your taxes. Do you know Ann Sumers voted to give your money away to felons? (she actually had never been in office) Call Ann Sumers, and tell her to keep her hands off your hard-earned money." Click.

[brentspeak]

10. Tom Kean Jr. is a Club for Growth candidate

If Sen.Menendez is smart, he'll make an issue of the fact that an out-of-state, small, secretive group of very wealthy businessmen are using their money to disproportionately affect the outcome of a New Jersey election. Not to mention the fact that Kean's "independent" stance is completely bogus because the Club for Growth keeps all of their candidates in line with the Club's own political agenda (which is reducing/eliminating all taxes on the rich).

[ananda]

14. Mr. Chafee,

You would be welcom in the Democratic Party.

Wouldn't you say it's time?

[zara]

15. This is to keep him under pressure in slight chance he wins.