Inside Politics

No thanks

Iraq war veteran Nathan Martin, a Republican running for the seat held by retiring Rep. Michael G. Oxley, Ohio Republican, showed voters the importance of principles when he turned down a $100,000 support-and-endorsement offer from a veterans group.

The Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America Political Action Committee tried for a couple weeks to convince Mr. Martin to accept its endorsement, which included $2,100 in donations, a media buy and direct mailings on his behalf, but the candidate couldn’t come to grips with taking it.

“They asked me to sit and think about it for 24 hours, and I couldn’t even do that, so I called them back that night and told them I could not sacrifice my principles for the money,” Mr. Martin said.

An official from the political action committee confirmed that the group did in fact offer the endorsement, but declined to comment any further.

Mr. Martin, who served with the Army Reserves 1st 278 Regimental Combat Team in Iraq, said he supports the group’s efforts to stand up for veterans, but disagrees with its position that the United States should begin withdrawing troops from the country.

One of the PAC’s endorsement criteria found on its Web site is that candidates “• emand from the administration a victory strategy for Iraq that includes hard success metrics which trigger American troop drawdowns so our forces can safely re-deploy from theater.”

But Mr. Martin said, regardless of the reasons the nation went to war in Iraq, “I think it is important that we do not leave the Iraqi people hanging.” He said The United State’s actions in Iraq will also have a major impact on future diplomatic relations with Iran.

Rumors denied

The former Alabama Supreme Court chief justice who was ousted for refusing to remove a Ten Commandments monument from court property denied rumors that he would switch parties in his race for governor.

Rumors that Roy Moore would switch from the Republican ticket to an independent candidacy to oppose Republican Gov. Bob Riley, or possibly drop out of the governor’s race and run again for chief justice, have been rampant in Alabama in recent weeks, the Associated Press reports.

Mr. Moore called a press conference yesterday to dispel those rumors.

“I am a Republican, and I intend to become the next Republican governor of Alabama,” Mr. Moore said. The Republican primary is June 6.

Mr. Moore also said he has no intentions of switching to the race for chief justice.

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