Tuesday, March 20th, 2007...12:06 pm
Elephantine Disarray Noted Inside Beltway
An article in the latest Roll Call (not linking article since a subscription is required) entitled “National GOP Hits Arizona Frosh” details the way the Republican Party has chosen to go after Harry Mitchell and Gabrielle Giffords. Of course they will: Giffords’s district had been represented by a Republican since 1985, and Mitchell’s has been since, geez…
But, the second paragraph is very revealing:
With the Arizona Republican Party in the midst of an internal schism and short on staff, the Republican National Committee and the National Republican Congressional Campaign Committee have been providing the only organized effort aimed at softening up support for freshman Reps. Harry Mitchell and Gabrielle Giffords, who represent the 5th and 8th districts, respectively.
So, in other words, the new folks at the State Republican party haven’t been doing their job, and the national folks think so too. The national folks are so worried that they have felt the need to take up the slack themselves. This gets to be a problem because people who aren’t necessarily familiar with the local situation are crafting the message. It also gets to be a problem for the message delivery. The charge that Giffords or Mitchell are “out of touch” or taking orders from out-of-state interests might carry more sway if they were not in ads produced in DC or out of the mouths of beltway Republicans.
The article goes on to detail the littany of troubles in the state party, and even headlines the jump with “Split in State GOP Could Help House Newcomers.” The article is one in a series of articles about the vulnerabilities of freshman Democrats, but it looks as though the author finds the real vulnerabilities in the State Republican Party.
4 Comments
March 20th, 2007 at 1:26 pm
I think you are right on about this Ted. The bigger problem is what you get at above. That national interests don’t match local ones. One of the things they will miss “out there in Washington” is that Giffords has been devoted to her district. Excellent constitutency service and lots of time here listening to and working with constituents.
Remember the old adage, Americans hate Congress, but generally love their Congressman(woman).
March 20th, 2007 at 3:10 pm
Interesting that the GOP thinks it is time to go on offense.
Because if we don’t get out of Iraq, they will still be tied to the Bush policy (quagmire) there, and there are a lot of vulnerable GOP Congressmen who now that Democrats are in charge, can’t even insure themselves by bringing home a ton of cash (I’m thinking of my own Congresscritter, Rick Renzi as a prime example.)
March 20th, 2007 at 9:04 pm
Oh yeah, the AZGOP was soooo awesome before the new chairman took over. He is TOTALLY to blame for how shitty they are.
Truth is, and I have written about it before - they have been a joke for a long time.
http://wactivist.com/article/524/azgop-sinking-now-or-long-past-doomed
March 20th, 2007 at 10:50 pm
This is really choice. The RCCC completely screws up the Republican CD 8 primary and now claims the state party is not properly organized.
The CD 8 race will never be won or lost by the state or national party apparatchiks. The republicans will win back CD 8 when (and if) they can unite behind a candidate strong enough to defeat Gabby. The outside powers can help but not make that happen.
Speaking of which they missed the fact that the Pima County GOP is way more disorganized, under funded, and understaffed than the state. How come no one writes about that? They are headed toward a big a**-kicking in the city council elections.
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