January 06, 2006
Bloggers V. Insiders
Could the impending House GOP leadership election inflame a Miers-like trigger point in the ligaments connecting GOP bloggers to the party establishment?
Consider: many conservative bloggers love Rep. Mike Pence. Outspoken. Ornery. Fiscally conservative. Strong-willed. Not connected with the powers that be. A blogger himself. Outsider-ish (just like bloggers.)
The establishment might coalesce around Rep. John Boehner or Rep. Roy Blunt. Or, if they want to appear to excise the demon of K-Street, the "safe" outside choice among insiders might well be Rep. Eric Cantor (R-VA).
That's not to say that Cantor wouldn't be a solid majority leader or that bloggers wouldn't support him -- just that leadership elections tend to balkanize even the most balanced, well-mannered caucuses and polarization magnifies even the slightest differences.
Despite overwhelming evidence to the contrary, many Republicans close to the White House refuse to believe that the blogger discontent over Miers' nomination was a critical factor in ginning up opposition from other conservatives.
If the party tries to split the baby and the somehow the interests of blogger-activist-outsiders diverge from the interests of the typically command-and-control insider leadership, watch the fireworks. [MARC AMBINDER]
Posted at 03:46 PM
Comments
Cantor is not going to be the choice. There was push back to elevating him to whip when Blunt stepped up to Acting Majority Leader (rumored to be because of Cantor's religion).
Anon | 01.06.06 04:14 PM
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Not true--in an all white conference, the conference loves that fact that Cantor is Jewish. He is well liked, a true policy wonk that is bringing Jews and moderates to the party--yet he has the 4th most conservative voting record in Congress--and he's from the South--he is one to watch
anon | 01.06.06 10:29 PM
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Quit drinking the kool-aid, "exercise the demon of k-street? Who do you think was sitting in the room besides Delay, Blunt, etc? Cantor is done...
Bill Kuster | 01.08.06 01:25 PM
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Cantor has not shot...he is as caught up in these scandals as anyone in the leadership...
Anon | 01.08.06 01:34 PM
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Replace Tom DeLay With Mike Pence
http://chrisdickson.blogspot.com/2005/12/replace-tom-delay-with-mike-pence.html
Chris Dickson | 01.09.06 09:42 AM
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