The Washington Times
  • Subscribe
  • Times News Services
  • RSS
  • Mobile Headlines
  • e-edition
  • E-MAIL ALERTS
  • REGISTER
  • LOG IN
  • E-MAIL ALERTS
  • WELCOME
  • Your Profile
  • Log Out
  • Front Page Image
  • Classifieds
  • Autos
  • Real Estate
  • Jobs
  • Special Sections
  • Customer Service
  • Home
  • News
  • Opinion
  • Sports
    • NFL
    • NBA/WNBA
    • MLB
    • NHL
    • Tennis
    • Golf
    • Motorsports
    • Soccer
    • NCAA
    • Olympics
    • Outdoors
    • Other
  • Culture
    • Home & Living
    • Family & Kids
    • Fashion
    • Food
    • Travel
    • Health
    • Washington Visitors
    • Books
    • Military History
    • Life
    • Auto
    • TV Listings
    • Movie Listings
    • Death Notices
    • Entertainment
  • Themes
  • Communities
  • Shopping
    • Stores
    • Coupons
    • Daily Double
    • Promotion
    • How It Works
  • Videos
    • Two Guys
    • Birnbaum on Washington
    • Liz Glover
    • Amanda Carpenter
    • Morning Briefing
    • Documentaries
    • Joe Giganti
    • Video Game Minute
  • Podcasts
    • About Headlines
    • Audio and Radio
    • America's Morning News
  • World
  • National
  • Politics
  • National Security
  • DC Area
  • Business
  • Entertainment
  • Technology
  • Investigations
  • Faith
  • Energy
  • Environment
  • Headlines
  • Citizen Journalism
  • Sports

    Redskins, Cowboys going their separate ways

  • Politics

    Massive bill steals show in health care debate

  • Commentary

    Al Qaeda's prospects

  • Sports

    Slow start dooms Capitals

  • National

    Winfrey: Prayer influenced 2011 exit

  • Politics

    Report: ACORN mismanaged grant money

  • Politics

    Obama's approval rating falls below 50%

Home » News » Politics

Friday, May 15, 2009

Florida race to test GOP stimulus stance

Rate this story

Average 0.00
after 0 votes
Login or register to rate this story

Steele softens on advocates

  • Font Size -+
  • Print
  • Email
  • Comment
  • Tweet this!
  • Share
  • Article
  • Comments ()
  • Click-2-Listen
  • Videos
Please stand by, images loading!
  • Charlie Crist (Associated Press)

More Politics Stories

  • Senate Democrats win key vote on health bill
  • ANALYSIS: Obama takes a bow, but applause is weak
  • Military academies lack minority nominees
  • Republican governors: 'Opt out' unworkable

By Amanda Carpenter

Florida Gov. Charlie Crist's decision to run for the Senate is putting the Republican Party's anti-stimulus stand to the test, with Republican National Committee Chairman Michael S. Steele backing away from a threat to punish candidates who supported President Obama's signature economic recovery program.

For some Republicans heading into the 2010 elections, opposition to the giant $787 billion spending bill that Mr. Obama signed in February was seen as a litmus test for success, analogous to the opposition to President Clinton's 1993 tax increases that helped fuel a Republican congressional takeover a year later.

The February stimulus vote "was a stand-up moment for every Republican," Mr. Steele told a recent party rally in Wisconsin. About Sen. Arlen Specter of Pennsylvania, whose defection to the Democrats earlier this month was in large part a result of his pro-stimulus vote, Mr. Steele said, "You voted yourself out of the party. We didn't kick you out."

But Mr. Crist's public embrace of the stimulus plan - including a joint appearance with Mr. Obama to hail the spending package - is clashing with the party's desperate drive to hold on to the seat being vacated by retiring Sen. Mel Martinez.

Key national Republicans, including Sen. John Cornyn of Texas, who chairs the party's 2010 senatorial campaign, and Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky quickly endorsed Mr. Crist - despite his pro-stimulus stance - in advance of a potential primary fight.

Mr. Steele, despite his previous statements, said he won't be playing favorites as Florida Republicans choose their nominee.

RNC Communications Director Trevor Francis said in an e-mail that party rules "prohibit the Republican National Committee from contributing to or otherwise assisting pre-primary candidates without the prior written approval of the state party chairman, the national committeeman, and the national committeewoman. Unless that happens, and [the rule] is invoked, Chairman Steele and the RNC won't pick sides in the Florida Senate race."

Republicans are still betting that the stimulus vote will prove politically toxic for Democrats and point to 1993 as precedent. Democrats who backed President Clinton's tax-raising budget that year were among the major casualties as Republicans seized control of the Senate and House a year later.

Those protesting high government spending under Mr. Obama are "the same people who turned out in 1992 for Ross Perot and were the new voters that showed up in 1994 when we won the majority," said former House Majority Leader Dick Armey, Texas Republican, a leader of the recent nationwide "tea party" anti-spending rallies.

In the recent New York special House election, the failure of Republican candidate Jim Tedisco to come out strongly against Mr. Obama's spending plan cost him the seat, said Tom Lewis, Mr. Tedisco's campaign finance chairman.

[Get Copyright Permissions] Click here for reprint permissions!
Copyright 2009 The Washington Times, LLC

12Next »

Post a comment

There are comments on this article, submit your opinion!

Please login or register to post a comment

Ask a Question

You Report

Do you have another point of view, photos, audio, video or more information about a story?

Top Stories

Most Read

  1. Health bill could get 34-hour reading in Senate
  2. Work site arrests of illegals fall dramatically
  3. Senate health care bill creates new marriage penalty
  4. Massive bill steals show in health care debate
  5. KELLNER: New Apple mouse really is 'Magic'
More Top Stories »
  1. 19 gang members face racketeering charges
  2. Report: D.C. schools chief Rhee mishandled sexual misconduct scandal
  3. EXCLUSIVE: Taliban chief hides in Pakistan
  4. EXCLUSIVE: Hoffman considering recount claim
  5. PRUDEN: Obama bows, the nation cringes

Most Shared

  1. Religious leaders vow civil disobedience on anti-life issues
  2. Report: D.C. schools chief Rhee mishandled sexual misconduct scandal
  3. PRUDEN: Obama bows, the nation cringes
  4. Faint Shroud of Turin text proves artifact real, book says
  5. Senate health care bill creates new marriage penalty
More Top Stories »
  1. Massive bill steals show in health care debate
  2. EDITORIAL: Chicago, Afghan-style
  3. Socialist or vast expansion?
  4. PRUDEN: The Third World and Obama
  5. BOOKS: 'The Secret Wife of Louis XIV'

Most Commented

  1. PRUDEN: The Third World and Obama
  2. Religious leaders vow civil disobedience on anti-life issues
  3. Army lacks guidelines to deal with jihadists in ranks
  4. Senate health care bill creates new marriage penalty
  5. EDITORIAL: Get ready to bomb Iran
More Top Stories »
  1. Dems up pressure on health bill's holdouts
  2. EXCLUSIVE: Taliban chief hides in Pakistan
  3. Obama's approval rating falls below 50%
  4. Unforeseen climate 'crisis'
  5. Massive bill steals show in health care debate

Listen to Washington Times Radio

  • America's Morning News

    with John McCaslin and Melanie Morgan

Question of the day

Do you think Pakistan has done enough to help us find the terrorists who want to hurt the U.S.?

Blogs & Columns

  • Hot Button Blog

    RNC: Breast cancer recommendations may lead to 'rationing'

  • Belief Blog

    Evangelicals OK civil disobedience

  • Out of Context

    Foods that might kill libido

  • On the Fly

    United lifts some 'award' blocking

  • Technology

    Facebook wins round against phishing spammer

  • Redskins 360

    Rookie Williams hurts ankle

  • SNOBlog

    Beyond 'Woody'

Videos

Advertising Links
TWT Store
  • e-edition
  • Print Edition
  • Weekly Washington Times
TWT Affiliates
  • Middle East Times
  • Golf
  • UPI
  • Arbor Ballroom
  • Washington Times Global
  • About TWT
  • Press Room
  • F.A.Q.
  • Work for TWT
  • Advertise
  • Sponsors
  • Contact Us
  • Privacy Policy
  • Site Map

All site contents © Copyright 2009 The Washington Times, LLC.