Our Congressmen and Their Presidential Candidates
I had interest in clarifying for myself who of our Washington delegation had endorsed what presidential candidates.
In case you are scoring at home, here is the rundown on our Alabama delegation in Washington and who they are publicly supporting in the 2008 presidential race.
- Robert Aderholt (R, AL-4) endorsed Mitt Romney.
- Spencer Bachus (R, AL-6) serves as southeast co-chair of the John McCain campaign.
- Artur Davis (D, AL-7) is heavily engaged in Barack Obama’s campaign, even appearing as his surrogate.
- Terry Everett (R, AL-2) endorsed Duncan Hunter.
- Mike Rogers (R, AL-3) endorsed Mitt Romney.
Democrat Bud Cramer (AL-5) has not endorsed anyone and likely will not. No word heard here from Jo Bonner (R, AL-1) or our two Republican Senators, Jeff Sessions and Richard Shelby.
Those Romney endorsements will come back to haunt Aderholt and Rogers.
Comment by SamfordDem — August 27, 2007 @ 11:17 am
SamfordDem,
Please elaborate.
Thanks,
JD
Comment by JD Hogg — August 27, 2007 @ 5:14 pm
Both of those districts are predominantly rural and predominantly old fashioned evangelical. As a Southern Baptist, I was raised to believe that the Church of Latter Day Saints was a cult and to automatically distrust any members of that denomination. Although I don’t agree with that view any more, many - I would say most - still do. The more people in those districts know about Romney, the more they will distrust him. He represents everything they hate about northern Democrats; he is a “flip-flopper;” he comes from one of the wealthiest, most elite families in the nation; he once proclaimed himself a stronger champion of gay rights than Teddy Kennedy. I know District 4, and, although most of the people in that district vote Republican, they do it because they are socially conservative and not for any other reason. They hate free trade, they hate illegal immigration, and they hate northern elites. It may not matter because a serious challenger may not emerge for either congressman, but, should that happen, they would be a foll not to hightlight the fact that both men endorsed a flip-flopping Mormon from Massachusetts over a real-life war hero or a real life social conservative (Mike Huckabee or Duncan Hunter). They could have gotten away with an endorsement for Rudy because people here still look up to him for 9/11, but I can tell you Romney gets absolutely no love out in the country. If a real contender emerges, they will use this against Aderholt and Rogers.
Comment by SamfordDem — August 27, 2007 @ 8:19 pm
“They would be a fool” and the real life war hero was John McCain.
Comment by SamfordDem — August 27, 2007 @ 8:21 pm
I’m surprised so many Congressmen have already endorsed someone. I figured it’d be better to play it safe and wait it out a little longer. Of course, that’s assuming that it’s smarter to pick the eventual winner.
Comment by Dan — August 27, 2007 @ 10:58 pm
Dan, I agree. I think that you have to know your district. Most Alabama voters are unhappy with the current crop of Republican front-runners and would not consider any of the Democratic ones. That’s why what Terry Everett did was brilliant. He endorsed a candidate with rock solid conservative credentials, but he won’t be punished for ti by the eventual winner because the guy has no chance of winning. Politically, he is risking nothing and he comes out looking like a real conservative. Adherholt would have been smarter to endorse someone like Hunter or Huckabee. Even with all the stuff that has gone on, I think Alabamians still have a very favorable opinion of McCain because he was a war hero. If Romney is the nominee, look for an electoral sea change akin to what Goldwater wrought this time working to the long term advantage of the Democrats.
Comment by SamfordDem — August 28, 2007 @ 11:43 am