The American Spectator : Do Ordinary Americans Still Matter?

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Do Ordinary Americans Still Matter?

By Robert Stacy McCain on 3.15.10 @ 6:08AM

GOP insiders don't seem to get the populist message.

Adam Light called last week to tell me about his campaign for Congress in Virginia's 9th District. To say that Light's candidacy is a long shot is to understate the tremendous odds against him.

Never mind the improbability of a political newcomer unseating an entrenched Democratic incumbent, Rep. Rick Boucher. In order to get that shot at Boucher -- who has riled up southwest Virginia's coal country by supporting the Waxman-Markey energy tax -- Light must first convince voters in the 9th District to support him for the GOP nomination over Morgan Griffith, majority leader in the state's House of Delegates.

"He's a good man and a good candidate," Light says of Griffith, but notes that Democrats are already trying to stick the "carpetbagger" label on the Republican front-runner, whose home near Salem sits just outside the 9th District boundary. Of course, district lines shift every 10 years and there is no law requiring congressmen to live in the districts they represent, but a spokesman for the state Democratic Party tipped the Boucher re-election strategy last month by offering to send Griffith a map to help him find his way around the 9th District.

Could such tactics stop Griffith from defeating Boucher even when so many observers predict a Republican surge this November? A partner in a Tazewell County land-surveying firm who calls himself a "true Jeffersonian republican," Light says he has often heard the "carpetbagger" charge against Griffith from local voters. "A lot of people are concerned that he doesn't live in the district."

Despite such concerns, the National Republican Congressional Committee has designated Griffith an "on the radar" candidate. No one could blame grassroots conservatives, however, for being skeptical of the NRCC's ability to pick winners, given their disastrous decision to support Dede Scozzafava in upstate New York's 23rd District last fall. After the NRCC and other national Republican organizations pumped hundreds of thousands of dollars into Scozzafava's hopeless campaign, she notoriously repaid them by endorsing Democrat Bill Owens.

Morgan Griffith is obviously no backstabbing RINO (Republican In Name Only), but the Scozzafava bungle is merely one example of inept meddling by the GOP establishment that infuriates rank-and-file Republicans. The Florida Senate campaign, where John Cornyn and the National Republican Senatorial Committee tried to put the fix in for Charlie Crist 15 months ahead of the GOP primary, continues to inspire grassroots complaints that Republican insiders are "clueless," "tone-deaf" and "incompetent," as well as some other descriptions not suitable for a family-friendly publication.

Similar complaints were heard last week in Alabama's 5th District, when House Minority Leader John Boehner appeared at a fundraiser for Democrat-turned-Republican Rep. Parker Griffith. "We are sending a message to the national Republican establishment: stay out of our primary," Christie Carden, founder of the Huntsville Tea Party, declared in announcing a protest against Boehner's favoritism toward the incumbent in a hotly contested Republican primary.

"It's Another 'Dede Moment' for the GOP -- Choose Sides Carefully!" proclaimed one sign displayed at last week's Huntsville protest, and the possibility of repeating the Scozzafava catastrophe is not the only argument against Republican insiders attempting to exercise top-down control over the party. A perception that the GOP establishment routinely rigs primaries in favor of the well-financed and well-connected is widespread among grassroots conservatives. Disillusioned by the political equivalent of insider trading, some idealistic Republicans are tempted to walk away from active participation in GOP politics, which would leave the party infrastructure even more controlled by selfish cynics and professional operatives.

One man who doesn't want to see that happen is Doug Hoffman, the "Ordinary American" candidate whose third-party campaign last year in New York's 23^rd District became a national crusade for conservatives fed up with Washington, including the Beltway GOP. "The legacy of my [2009] campaign is that many Americans who had never been involved before saw that they could get involved and make a difference," Hoffman told me in a telephone interview last week, after announcing his candidacy for the Republican nomination in this year's mid-term election.

Strange as it may seem, some Republicans still haven't gotten the message. There are rumors in New York that the national GOP establishment is trying to recruit Will Barclay to run against Hoffman. Scion of a wealthy family, Barclay is a state assemblyman whose father was appointed ambassador to El Salvador by President Bush. The chief argument for the younger Barclay's candidacy, as one Hoffman-supporting conservative told me last week, can be summarized in three words: "Money, money, money."

Can such an argument prevail in a year when Republicans hope to capture the populist energy of the Tea Party movement? Although Democratic attack ads last year branded Hoffman a millionaire indifferent to working-class interests, he grew up desperately poor and his rags-to-riches success story was one of the major selling points of his underdog campaign. If the Republican establishment shoves Hoffman aside in favor of Barclay, it would do more than reinforce the Democrats' traditional class-warfare message that the GOP is the "party of the rich." It would also send a message to the party's conservative rank-and-file that their loyalty to Republicans is strictly a one-way street, never to be respected in any instance where grassroots preferences conflict with the political ambitions of party insiders.

All over the country, ordinary Americans inspired by Hoffman's example are turning Republican primaries into crowded contests, the most crowded of which is probably South Carolina's 1st District, where 13 candidates are reportedly seeking the GOP congressional nomination.

In Virginia's 9th District, meanwhile, Adam Light is one of at least three underdog candidates -- along with retired Army officer David Moore and computer engineer Jessee Ring -- contending with Morgan Griffith for the Republican nomination. Whatever the odds against them, these candidates aim to fulfill the aim declared by Thomas Jefferson in a quote featured on Light's campaign website, of "giving to every citizen, personally, a part in the administration of the public affairs."

About the Author

Robert Stacy McCain is co-author (with Lynn Vincent) of Donkey Cons: Sex, Crime, and Corruption in the Democratic Party (Nelson Current). He blogs at The Other McCain.

Letter to the Editor View all comments (35) | Leave a comment

Ran / Si Vis Pacem| 3.15.10 @ 7:50AM

I got a call yesterday, too... From the RNC looking for a renewal pledge. Campaign donations are a function of Markets. If the RNC wants to continue to sell RINO's they can peddle 'em to a zoo.

basur| 10.27.10 @ 6:20AM

Voters are fed up with politics as usual. This poses a problem for incumbents.

Ken (Old Texican)| 3.15.10 @ 8:28AM

Every time I get a nice..."urgent" donation request, from my own good Senator by the way, (Cornyn, Texas), I politely respond "NO...my donation...and TEAM Americas's donations are going directly to "restoratinist" candidates."

Folks, we not only gotta' get Republicans in the congress. We gotta' get the BEST, TOUGHEST, NO NONSENSE Republicans in the congress.

PS: They will know precisely where their votes came from...and why.

PS Jr.: This may be our very last chance to avoid...gulp!

UpChuck.Liberals| 3.15.10 @ 10:36PM

@Ken (Old Texican),

Ken, you left out HONEST. This does narrow down the field a bit but I'm prayerful.

Ken in CA.

Louis Jenkins| 3.15.10 @ 8:36AM

can be summarized in three words: "Money, money, money."

What is needed are candidates who have "principles, principles, principles," and who believe and will uphold the "Constitution, Constitution, Constitution." (That they swear to defend when taking office.)

Cris Worth| 3.15.10 @ 9:08AM

Remenber Tea Partiers the King of the RINO's is Mitt Romney.

loulou| 3.15.10 @ 11:34AM

I remember. Romney better just save his money. He couldn't win a primary last election.

Also, Pawlenty--RINO.
Huckabee--Hick RINO

Paul Martell| 3.15.10 @ 12:10PM

Cris Worth is absolutley right about Mitt Romney being a Rino. However, the king of the Rino's is Amnesty John McCain while the queen of the Rino's is Sarah Pailin. Both of these bozo's are supporting John McCain against J.D. Hayworth int he Arizona senate race. And then we have Lindsey Graham, John McCain's senate flunkey. I ask you why should we support the Republican party and their disgarceful establishment candidates. What we really need is a third party that represents the people and supports constitutional government.

Cris Worth| 3.15.10 @ 1:44PM

Grahamnesty - McCain – Sarah…what you see is what you get and make no bones about it - but Romney the crafty liberal politician finds the political winds blowing in his direction...economics. Last time he stepped out of character trying to convince us he was a social conservative. Romney won't make that mistake again, the emphasis has changed and a bad economy will trump all. Tea partiers beware

Conservative1| 3.15.10 @ 10:10AM

Well, the thing is, this is a REPUBLIC and not a DEMOCRACY. Don't be surprised when your elected reps don't do exactly what the voters want them to do at every turn. Be even less surprised the more money we allow into the process. But that's a bigger discussion for another day.

Populism is nothing but mob rule, whether from the left or from the right.

Nate W.| 3.15.10 @ 1:25PM

I wouldn't pin the self-serving actions of shallow politicians on the fact that we should be a republic. You are correct about populism, however, if we could go back to our constitutional/republic roots, we would realize that we are "created equal" and kick the elitists and progressives out.

Richard Rogers| 3.15.10 @ 10:46AM

The money that corrupts the political process is not the campaign contributions; it's the amount of tax money the politicians have to buy the votes with.

Shamus| 3.15.10 @ 10:47AM

Voters are fed up with politics as usual. This poses a problem for incumbents.

WilliamInWien| 3.15.10 @ 10:50AM

Mosca's Iron Law basically says that "Regardless of the purpose for which any organization is established, it will, sooner or later, serve the personal advancement of its leaders." The RNC is such an organization and will continue to be, so people outside of the organization must either change the organization from within or fight it externally. It never ceases to amaze me that both political parties can field candidates that do not resonate with the voters, often giving us a choice of voting against one candidate as opposed to voting for one. To my mind, the Tea Party movement threatens the continuation of the RNC organization, therefore, its leaders. For the RNC leaders to change, they will have to witness the power and sustainability of the Tea Party and the voices of independent voters in November.

C.K. Amos| 3.15.10 @ 11:57AM

I live in a county, across the state border, adjacent to Tazewell County, Va., one of the county's in Rick Boucher's district.

Boucher politically shot himself in both feet and his head with his support of Waxman-Markey.

His view on Porkulus I and his more current may-change-vote-to"yes" on the ObamaPelosiReidEmanuel health-care monstrosity have not helped.

Here's part of a letter to the editor of a local newspaper that expresses a Tazewell countian's discontent with Boucher: "Rick Boucher is in real political trouble this time and he knows it. . . [We southwest Virginians] being stabbed in the back and then being lied to means enough is enough. Slick talk, town hall meetings, sweet pork goodies, and fancy commercials will not suffice. We Virginians must stand up to the radical socialists in Washington. This year a vote for Rick Boucher will be a vote for socialism and the radical 'transformation of America' that Obama promised."

Petronius| 3.15.10 @ 12:07PM

Both parties conspire to drive a stake through the American Dream. DNC or GOP both say, "want something? Get out your checkbook." That's right: money,money, money. And they are joined at the hip when it comes to item #1 on their unwritten agenda; prevent ordinary Americans from accumulating any. With the status quo they can do as they please. But if more people have "real money" than not, they must listen. What has not been mentioned is the real reason the GOP despises us and refuses to fight the liberals. If they legislate in favor of economic and
social advancement for middle Americans their snooty wives would never forgive them: not that we would deign to knock on their country club doors, the mere possibility that a tradesman might take his family to dine at Sans Soucie and cross paths just is not done. So long as the beltway establishment taxes middle America and gives our money to the trash elements of society to prevent our prosperity they have an enemy for life.

David Watkins| 3.15.10 @ 12:20PM

I receive at least one important RNC survey in the mail each week. They desperately need my input on the survey to help them defeat the nasty Democrats. Though every survey has that part at the end that asks for money. It makes me think that the RNC is more concerned with getting money to elect "THEIR" candidates than listening to what I think.

JimW| 3.15.10 @ 12:29PM

We have a similar situation in Oregon's 5th congressional district. State Rep. Scott Bruun and newwcomer businessman Fred Thompson (the other Fred Thompson) are running against incumbent Kurt Schrader. Schrader voted for stimulus and Obamacare but is now a little wobbly on the Obamacare issue. RNCC and state repubs are backing Bruun in primary. I've met and talked to both candidates. I could accept either s the party nominee but I think this picking winners and losers in the primary stinks. Let it be a contest between the candidates alone. The party can be there AFTER the nominee is picked. Make it a fair fight. What chance does a fresh face have if the party regulars won't let a newomer into the country club?

Ken (Old Texican)| 3.15.10 @ 1:06PM

You Third Party Yahoos.....

You are all too stupid to vote!

Third party votes are utopian...just like the communist votes.
Please, get real, and get busy electing splendid Republicans...if even across district/State lines.

Nate W.| 3.15.10 @ 1:44PM

So, if there happen to be no "splendid Republicans" on the ballot, do we vote for the RINO? I would remind you that even the alternative to Obama (Sen. McCain) would today, were he elected, be pushing for Cap & Trade, Govt. Healthcare, etc.
Are we "all too stupid to vote" outside of the party we may been born into?

Ken (Old Texican)| 3.15.10 @ 2:09PM

Nate,
Good questions.
I don't know what State you are from of course, but look for candidates to support...closest to you, even if in other States/districts.
Good candidates need your support. Get off your dead butt and find them...and help them...then put their feet to the fire.
God bless.

maverick muse| 3.15.10 @ 2:45PM

"Conservative" needs distinction. In Europe, the conservatives are for the (old world) authoritarian system of order because Europeans never got past transposing Statism over monarchy. Whereas, in America, we revolted against authoritarians of all sorts, and our founders who valued Classical Liberalism established our balanced Constitutional Government that prevents socialist abuse of power by adherence to the supremacy of the Constitution. Constitutional conservatives are eschewed by the neoconservatives who use every opportunity to demonize Classical Liberals as radical enemies of statism. Note well how the neoconservatives revise "enemies of the state" in order to defend authoritarianism that is permeating our country. Classical Liberals represent those founders of our Constitutional Government. If anyone is an enemy of the state, it would more likely be those today who taint the beliefs of our founders as criminal, radical, treasonous just as King George III deemed in 1776.

Consider that the neoconservatives now running the RINO GOP will never let go of their power. These neoconservatives (evolved from Lenin through the Democrat Party to usurp the NEO-"conservative" label in the Republican Party --preserving the ideals of socialism within the Republican party) not only have the money, money, money but also the tenured offices in Washington DC representing globalist powers as the New World Order, NOT representing the United States Constitution and our citizens with the Bill of Rights interests.

Keep cheer leading AGAINST any third party interests. Vilify the GOP Libertarians, the Classical Liberals, the Tea Party members protesting government corruption, and find that the public motivation for the Republican Party to be "restored" has been removed and that any Constitutional Conservative candidates have been destroyed in the process.

Ken (Old Texican)| 3.15.10 @ 4:21PM

I repeat
Maverick,
""You Third Party Yahoos.....

You are all too stupid to vote!

Third party votes are utopian...just like the communist votes.
Please, get real, and get busy electing splendid Republicans...if even across district/State lines.""

In my studies, "neo-cons" ,with whom I identify completely, have enjoyed Pax-Americana for a lifetime.
If you don't like it, go build a log cabin in the woods and step out of the larger world completely. (grin)

David | 3.15.10 @ 3:00PM

Paul Martell, give Palin a break. She is not a RINO. Can you imagine the flack and ridicule she would have to endure from everyone on the left and right if she openly supported Hayworth when she ran with McCain to be PRESIDENT - then to choose someone else over him (in effect saying) McCain is not qualified to be a SENATOR. No one would know who she is if not for McCain. That said, my guess is she privately hopes for a Hayworth victory.

uncle curmudgeon| 3.15.10 @ 3:48PM

The 9th's Morgan Griffith just sponsored (but lost the vote in Virginia's General Assembly) a bill to decriminalize pot; good if you're a libertarian; notso-hotso if you're a Baptist. Adam Light sounds like a good guy. This could be a good race all around. The National GOP needs to shut-up and listen 2010. We the people really do know best. You could ask Thomas Jefferson. Boucher is well past his sell-by date and needs to be removed from the shelves.

David | 3.15.10 @ 3:33PM

No to third parties. Just make sure that in every election cycle for every office the most conservative candidate wins the primary. Any time a true conservative runs against a democrat the contrast is stunning and the voters will respond accordingly.

Remember that Ross Perot, even though he won 19% and 11% of the vote, did not win one electoral vote, and we ended up with Clinton for two terms.

If you want to ensure another term for Obama, there is no better way than to flirt with the idea of a third party. Even talking about it is damaging.

And I still think Bam Bam has a good shot at being re-elected. After a year of his arrogance, spending, high umemployment, criticisms of and apologies for America, his rabid support for abortion, his thoroughly unpopular policy ideas from health care to cap and trade, the snubbing of our friends and coddling of our enemies, 46% of the ignorant voting public says they would still vote for him again. And with guaranteed help from the big network media, which is what the vast majority of voters watch, getting an additional 4% will not be too difficult for him.

Does it irk anyone else that Bam Bam never seems to be at the White House and working out of the Oval Office? He is constantly on the move. He already has substantially more secret service protection than any other president (which is fine with me - would not want anything to happen to him), but the constant moving around in Air Force One, the helicopter, and motorcades is really just too much. I know from volunteer work with Bush the Elder's advance team when he used to come to Houston that so very much and so many people are involved, and it is very expensive. Congress should insist that he stop moving so much. Even if he cut it in half, he would still be moving around a lot more than any other president. I think pounding him on it is a legitimate issue that the voters will be able to understand. He should not be able spend such great sums just because he refuses to stop campaigning.

Winterkorn| 3.15.10 @ 7:23PM

If small government, constitutionalist Americans cannot control the Republican Party with our votes and selective donations, in what fantasy world do you think we can create a third party which could win national elections?

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BillW| 3.15.10 @ 9:51PM

I too got that URGENT REQUEST 4 a donation etc. I had to tell them No More $$$$$ for RINO's.
I behind the TEA PARTY this Time around, Commen Sense Conservitives Only Need Apply!

Byron Keith| 3.16.10 @ 1:03AM

"Strange as it may seem," Mr. McCain writes, "some Republicans still haven't gotten the message."

Respectfully, sir, what's strange about it? When's the last time one can say the party "got the message" from the conservatives who keep voting for it, thus putting hope over experience?

The title of your article, sir, relects the party's perpetual tone-deafness. Do ordinary Americans still matter? Of course we do. A better question to ask would be, Does the Republican Party still matter to ordinary Americans?

AA| 3.16.10 @ 10:50AM

Car Type

Michele San Pietro| 3.21.10 @ 11:29AM

They sure don't matter to Obama, quite unluckily.

Dana| 3.24.10 @ 8:07PM

You guys have not idea what your talking about - the winners and losers are picked by the parties. No ordinary people get a chance and the tea party from what I see have no real power yet because they don't understand how the process works

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