|
According
to The Washington Times, here is what
Rep. Tom Davis, R-11, had to say when announcing his
decision not to run for the U.S. Senate seat being
vacated by John Warner:
"Once
you tear off the scab of the Republicans –
moderate and conservative and everything else –
it’s hard to put it back together,” Mr. Davis
said of his party members, whom he characterized
as being “more excited about beating other
Republicans.”(1)
Translation:
Mr. Davis is really ticked, after waiting years for
Sen. John Warner to retire, that the Republican
Party didn’t nominate him by acclamation alone,
based upon his sincere desire to have the seat. It
is interesting that Davis metaphorically refers to
the Republican Party as an open sore. That will
undoubtedly rally all those folks who put in the
yard signs, slap on the bumper stickers, work the
polls, and do the lit drops for candidates who think
they’re pus.
How
might Davis have done if he had stayed in the hunt?
Michael K. Fauntroy, assistant professor of public
policy at George Mason University, gave insight:
“Tom
Davis saw the handwriting on the wall and
concluded that even if he were able to get through
the nomination, it would be very difficult for him
to get through the general election. This is yet
another example of how moderates are being pushed
out of the Republican Party. It’s another death
knell to Republican moderates, not just in the
state but around the country. So many moderates
took a beating in the 2006 election, and this is
just a continuation of that trend.” (2)
Observation:
Sean Connaughton was Tom Davis’ handpicked
stalking-horse for statewide acceptance when Sean
ran in the Republican primary for Lt. Governor. He
was crushed by the conservative in the race, Bill
Bolling. Jerry Kilgore and George Allen ran
campaigns aimed at moderate Republicans or
independent voters, while taking the conservative
grassroots for granted. Both lost.
The
message here is if every time an independent or
disaffected Democrat enters the front flap of your
tent, two conservatives exit the back, then your
“big tent” strategy has failed. Or perhaps
conservatives are just getting tired of supporting
moderate candidates who lose!
Yet,
there’s more. Explaining why he would not run for
the U.S. Senate, Congressman Davis
"…criticized
his party and said emphasizing social and cultural
issues instead of fiscal responsibility was
preventing the party from expanding its
base. The comments mirrored the
message Mrs. Davis has used on the campaign trail,
where she has touted herself as a fiscal
conservative." (3)
Fact:
In 2001, Tom Davis voted for No Child Left Behind;
he voted for the 2003 Prescription Drug Bill; he
voted for the 2005 Transportation Bill that
contained thousands of earmarks; he recently voted
for the Democrats’ SCHIP bill, an intermediate
step towards the nationalization of the health care
industry in the United States; and he worked behind
the scenes to get the 2007 Omnibus Transportation
Bill passed by Virginia’s General Assembly, a move
that may not only cost his wife her Virginia Senate
seat but may also cost Republicans the Virginia
Senate. Tom
Davis, far from being a fiscal conservative, has the
most liberal voting record of any Republican in the
Virginia congressional delegation.
Mrs.
Davis has not been touting herself as a fiscal
conservative. She has proudly been touting herself
as a “Republican In Name Only” (RINO). Now, if
that strategy doesn’t fire up the Republican base
and get them to the polls, then Tom has every right
to go sit in the corner and hold his breath until he
turns blue.
So
what is Tom’s outlook for the future? He’s only
too happy to hear himself explain:
“There
is nothing like a couple of sobering defeats to
have you reevaluate,” Mr. Davis said. “I think
this will eventually happen to Republicans in
Virginia. I hope we don’t have to take more
beatings to get there, but [they need] to
understand you have a third of the state that is
really more Northeastern in its orientation.” (4)
Denouement:
There you have it. According to the boy from
Amherst, Mass., Virginia’s problem could be solved
if we pander to Northern Virginia’s Northeastern
impulses.
Now,
exactly for which Northeastern state’s economy
would Virginia trade its economy? Corporate
headquarters are being moved from the Northeast to
the South. Immigration is from the Northeast to the
South. The fact of the matter is that most of our
Northeastern states are economic basket cases. But
apparently, the people in Amherst, Va., are such
Neanderthals they can’t grasp the wisdom of giving
up jobs and economic growth in exchange for the
media anointing us with that highest of all
accolades, “progressive.”
Besides,
so what if your state’s employed citizens pick up
and move? That just means there will be more “open
space” for those who are left behind. So there!
Nah-nahnie-boo-boo!
A
final quote. Mark Rozell, a political science
professor at George Mason University said:
"But
many believe if she [Jeannemarie Devolites Davis]
is to lose [her Virginia Senate seat], that has
some bearing on Tom Davis’ reputation as well
– perhaps that he is not the Northern Virginia
kingmaker anymore." (5)
Do
ya think? Guess that’s why we pay political
scientists the big bucks. Sean Connaughton got
crushed; Jeannemarie is about to be crushed; and Tom
just decided against running for a seat he has
coveted for years. My guess is that Tom and
Jeannemarie are about to decide that being the
Virginia equivalent of Bill and Hillary is not in
the cards.
However,
being $1,000,000/year lobbyists for the NRA and
Focus on the Family aren’t such bad fall-back
positions. Stranger things have happened and we must
remember that Tom and Jeannemarie have spent their
careers being “flexible.” Yes, they are
certainly “flexible,” if nothing else.
What
we have learned: Moderate Republicans lose in races
against well-funded Democrats because conservatives
have stopped going to the polls to vote for RINOs.
It is clear that Republican candidates who ignore
the conservative base fail. Republican “big
tent” appeals to Democrat voters do not work in
general elections. Reaching out to independent
voters is costly if, in doing so, you drive away
your base.
Advice
for resurgent conservatives in regards to losing
moderates: At the Battle of Princeton, when the
British lines broke for the first time and the
Redcoats began falling back in retreat, George
Washington spurred his big horse forward, while
shouting for the American troops to follow him,
“It’s a fine fox chase, my boys.”
--
November 12, 2007
(1).
"Metropolitan Life," Washington
Times, Oct. 26, 2007.
(2)."Metropolitan
Life," Washington Times, Oct. 26, 2007.
(3).
“Davis’ Disclosure ‘Calculated’ to Benefit
His Wife,” Washington Times, Oct. 27, 2007.
(4).
“Davis Hits GOP, Rules Out Run for Senate Seat,”
Washington Times, Oct. 26, 2007
(5).
“Davis’ Disclosure ‘Calculated’ to Benefit
His Wife,” Washington Times, Oct. 27, 2007.
|
