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The Spectacle Blog
The Politico has a story on a number of independents running for governor in 2009-10. The list includes Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Maine, Minnesota, and New Jersey. But it’s not clear that this is necessarily “a development that threatens Democratic fortunes in some of the bluest and most progressive-minded states in the nation.”
Consider that Tim Cahill, as I’ve previously reported, is running as a fiscal conservative and gunning directly for the voters a Republican candidate would need to win the Massachusetts governorship. The polls bear this out: Against Democratic incumbent Deval Patrick, the Republican candidates are tied or narrowly ahead. Throw Cahill into the mix and they fall to the 20s, with Cahill and Patrick in the 30s — giving Patrick a much better chance of winning re-election if those numbers hold.
The trend is similar in New Jersey, where Chris Christie’s lead has slipped in the polls that show independent ex-Republican Chris Daggett in the double digits. Stuck at 45 percent or below, Jon Corzine seems to be following a strategy of driving up Christie’s negatives in the hopes that voters will declare a pox on both major parties’ houses. If so, Dagget could get enough of the vote for Corzine to potentially squeak through with a plurality in the mid-to-low-40s.
Lincoln Chafee might be able to get elected governor of Rhode Island as an independent. But the fact is, the last two governors of this very blue and progressive-minded state have been Republicans. And reasonably conservative ones, by Rhode Island standards, at that.
View all comments (19) | Leave a comment
More Blog Posts by W. James Antle, III
http://spectator.org/blog/2009/09/28/declaration-of-independents
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Margie| 9.28.09 @ 3:38PM
I don't understand why these so called Independents always want to ruin the Republican Party and ruin elections. It seems its a personal thing. Having to do with pride. "I'm so much better (and different) than those rascally Republicans." They know the Dems are Leftists, and they know the Repubs are best we've got, so how come they don't give up the ghost of pride and jump on board? Isn't that always the question, though?
Al Adab| 9.28.09 @ 5:16PM
Margie,
The Conservatives brought the GOP success in 1980 and 1994. Through the intervening years the GOP has betrayed the Movement by constant attempts at accommodation. Those who fail to stand for something, stand for nothing.
Margie| 9.28.09 @ 5:38PM
Al Adab,
I wholeheartedly agree with you. It reminds me of all of the different denominations in Christianity. "A house divided against itself can not stand." A return to the basics is what's needed. But if no one wants that?
Al Adab| 9.28.09 @ 5:43PM
Margie,
As one of the Founders (modern Conservatism) said, "We must return to proven ways, not because they are old, but because they are true." In this age when there is no Truth, when all values are relative, it becomes increasingly difficult to define Principle. Yet, without it, the people suffer.
Mary Louise| 9.28.09 @ 7:14PM
I don't think Independents want to ruin elections, but so many of them reside in that gray area. But they hold some power in unseating Obama.
Some of them are married to Obama for life because they made of him -without experience or paper trail, mind you- what he was not and they can't back away from that without losing face. They were much too loud and proud. I don't think there are that many of them though. Most Independents will swing like a pendulum if they see the vitality of the Country taking a hit.
More people identify as conservatives than as liberals for pretty obvious reasons. Liberals don't often make a whole lot of sense when they're explaining how the government is going to be more merciful and responsive with the ill and less cost conscious than insurance companies. No one believes that because you'd have to believe a government bureaucrat is a higher caliber person than the insurance company's.
The rub is that those who identify as conservatives do so more philosophically than operationally. I'm not sure that has to be a huge stumbling block. Especially with this Administration treating the productive part of the economy as a pack-mule.
If the Republicans had 10 Thaddeus McCotters they could kick some solipsistic and Lawless, liberal backside.
Bob| 9.28.09 @ 4:08PM
Margie -- like many of us, Chris Daggett is pro-choice and thus could not get elected in the Republican primary. That is why many moderate (fiscally conservative/socially moderate) Republicans are becoming independents. Republicans now only represent about 22% of voters. It is the social conservatives who are ruining the Republican party.
Roy| 9.28.09 @ 4:31PM
If you care more about keeping the vivisection of babies going then getting your taxes lowered, your taxes won't get lowered. I won't feel too sorry for people like that, but it's hard on the rest of us.
Margie| 9.28.09 @ 4:37PM
Bob,
Ha! Are you serious? They don't like the anti-abortionists in the Republican Party so they have to leave it? How petty and disgusting can one be? Because we are against murdering an unborn baby you have to cause a huge division, and make sure you ruin everything by causing the votes to go to the Dems? May as well go join the Democrat Party if that's the reason you hate it. We were here first, so I'm not quite sure how you can reason that we are the ones ruining it. It's a lie. The cowards who do this and become "Independents", like Arlan Specter for example, are just too awful scared to go join the Dem Party right away, where they truly fit in. Why wait? Why delay the inevitable? And what's so horrible about being against murder, anyway?
Margie| 9.28.09 @ 4:40PM
*yes, yes, I know I made an error. Spector became a Dem. My point is that what took him so long? And so to the "Socially conservatives" I say why wait? Become a Dem now.
Margie| 9.28.09 @ 4:44PM
*meant Social moderates! Go ahead, pick on me. :^)
Al Adab| 9.28.09 @ 4:55PM
Fiscal Cons
Social Cons
Neo-Cons
Paleo-Cons
Movement Cons
Must be a few others as well. Any wonder the Conservatives can't make inroads?
S.L. Toddard| 9.30.09 @ 6:41PM
Because Movement Cons and Social Cons are now Neo Cons and the party they dominate thwarts Fiscal Cons and Paleo Cons at every turn.
Gazinya| 9.28.09 @ 5:58PM
In my opinion it is the message not the party. If an Independent and a Republican or even a Democrat(no wait, dems are doomed) can prove to me that they are not liers, thieves and cheats. If they can prove to me that their core values are in the realm of general christianity (of course no democrat can have christian values and be a democrat) I would vote for the person who is not a party hack but is a true pro-American conservative. Never mind about the Democrat, liberal or moderate or conservative, they can not represent my value system and call themselves a democrat. At least by the standard that that party lives by today.
If the RNC would set a very pro-family, a re=affermation of the 10th Amendment, a complete re-examination of SCOTUS rulings, including Roe and the Establishment Clause. A return to open and public displays of Christian culture and a total destruction of the Dept of Education and let the locals decide what their children learn and what the teachers are paid and get all the outside lobbyists out.
I guess what I want is my country back. Taken away from those that want a godless, secular nation.
Al Adab| 9.28.09 @ 6:13PM
Gaz,
The RNC and GOP won't do as you so rightly suggest UNLESS, the Conservative movement is able to regain the upper hand from the accommodationist wing. That, I fear, is unlikely but we can still hope ( to borrow a term). It will take a lot of work and not a few strong, courageous leaders.
nohype| 9.28.09 @ 8:46PM
Expect an independent candidate for president in 2012 because it will be the only way that Obama will be able to win re-election.
Pingback| 9.29.09 @ 2:48PM
The Phoenix links to this page. Here’s an excerpt: