This MI-07 and CO-05 Election Results Yesterday May Be the Most Significant
It’s not getting nearly the attention of Lieberman-Lamont or McKinney-Johnson, but Joe Schwarz’s defeat at the hands of Tim Walberg in Michigan’s 7th Congressional District despite heavy-hitter support from the Administration and John McCain, and Doug Lamborn’s triumph in Colorado’s crowded 5th District contest despite heavy support for a competitor from Hugh Hewitt and other Bush acolytes, may both be more important than either of last night’s headline-grabbers.
The Club for Growth was a key factor, and perhaps the deciding one, in both elections. The Club’s Walberg victory announcement last night said as much, and told us why (The Club’s Lamborn victory announcement is here):
“Rep. Schwarz was one of the worst examples of Republican politicians who have abandoned any real commitment to limited government and pro-growth policy,” Toomey concluded. “But Michigan voters have responded by electing to replace him with a true economic conservative who will work to enact the pro-growth agenda. We look forward to seeing Tim Walberg win in November and then serving in Washington in the 110th Congress.”
Of course, losers like Schwartz would believe that his loss “pushes the party further to the right,” with supposedly disastrous consequences. Lamborn in Colorado had the perfect retort:
“There are many things in my Republican message that will appeal to everybody: securing our borders and fighting the illegal immigration problem, supporting the military and getting a handle on the deficit,” Lamborn said after winning a six-man primary Tuesday.
BOTH parties are to the left of conservative and even most “moderate” voters on the first and third issues Lamborn mentioned, and too many in the GOP aren’t even hanging in there on supporting the military and the War on Terror (Exhibit A from last April: DeWine Backstabs Rumsfeld). The War On Terror was enough to justify moderates and conservatives holding their noses in 2004 and voting for many candidates who they considered the lesser of two evils. This November, I don’t believe that appealing to voters solely on the War on Terror, or even on “values” issues, while paying lip service to, or worse, insulting their intelligence on illegal immigration and fiscal control, will generate victory-enabling turnouts.
The big danger is that if voters don’t see an acceptable candidate, they won’t vote for one. The stay-at-home factor has much more potential to hurt Republicans than it does Democrats. It’s late in the game, but GOP candidates need to give the voters answers on all three issues, and quickly.
And of course the primary season isn’t over yet. Those that remain should be very interesting indeed. Lincoln “Chapstick” Chafee, call your office.
Schwarz’s legacy: His 2004 victory was the outgrowth of a corruption promise made by the majority whip on the eve of the Medicare Drug vote to predecessor Nick Smith. The promise was to fund the opponent of Smith’s son when Smith refused to be strongarmed by the wastrels in fall of 2003.
Schwarz’s lack of constitutional principles such as balance of powers, allowing an emperor to run unchecked, also negatively influenced this voter.
Walberg is pro-property rights, and so had the support of his district’s homegrown property rights group, Michigan Coalition for Return to Constitutional Government (MCRCG). This issue is a big one in the district, as big government keeps coming up with schemes to tax and restrict property, and occasionally has to hide from the light of day.
Comment by James Parker — August 9, 2006 @ 10:56 pm
#1, Thanks for the additional info.
Comment by TBlumer — August 9, 2006 @ 11:44 pm