In New York’s 23rd congressional district former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich has endorsed The Republican candidate Deede Scozzafava for the seat vacated by John McHugh who has become Secretary of the Army. Many observers feel Ms. Scozzafava is far too liberal to be considered a true Republican. Ms. Scozzafava is a controversial candidate that supports gay marriage and abortion and also voted for tax increases and supported the Economic Stimulus Package. The result of her views is many conservatives choose not to support her. On October 16th however Speaker Gingrich offered his support. On Monday October 26th Mr. Rick Tyler, a spokesman for Mr. Gingrich, appeared on Fox News’s “Your World” with Neil Cavuto.
In the course of his appearance Mr. Tyler made several interesting comments. Mr. Tyler commended the participants of the several “Tea Parties” around the nation but noted the participants have no voice in the political process. Mr. Tyler noted the Republican Party needs to capture the energy and emotion of the Tea Parties but readily admits he did not know how this would be accomplished. Mr. Tyler also stated that as long as conservatives were voting for candidates other than Republicans the Democrats would remain in control of Congress. Mr. Tyler seemed to be suggesting that conservatives must vote for moderate Republicans to achieve change in Washington D.C…
Mr. Tyler unknowingly displayed the disconnect that exist between the Republican Party and conservative voters. There is a movement in America that is gaining in intensity and may soon become a ground swell of discontent among conservatives. Most conservative voters will not elect a liberal or even a moderate Republican. Mr. Tyler, like most Republicans I am afraid to say, has been unable to gauge the disgust many conservatives feel about the actions of the Republican Party during the past twenty years.
Mr. Tyler’s thinking is actually polar opposite of the conservative movement members thought process. The Republican Party thinks conservatives must vote for Republican candidates to achieve change. Conservatives believe Republicans must vote for conservative candidates to achieve this change. Many conservatives will vote for a third party candidate if the third party candidate is more conservative than the Republican candidate. True conservatives will do this even if the result is a Democrat winning the election. This is the only means the conservative voter has to convince Republican candidates they must be conservative or face rejection at the polls. Some conservatives are willing to go so far as to lose all 535 seats of congress to the Democrats for two years if it will convince the Republicans true conservatism is what is desired and, more importantly, sorely needed in Washington D.C..