Will the Republican candidates here in Vermont get caught up in the purity of thought movement taking hold in the Republican right wing?
Nationally Republican leaders have been circulating a resolution listing 10 positions Republican candidates must support if they want RNC backing. To gain the seal of approval candidates have to show faithful adherence to conservative principles and public policies, demonstrate opposition to Obama’s socialist agenda of government-run health care and cap-and-trade along with opposition to easing union secret ballot rules, and finally support of military-recommended troop surges and the Defense of Marriage Act. It’s all Dick Armey approved. Armey, head of FreedomWorks and a lead TeaParty enthusiast, supports these loyalty tests.
Last week on Vermont Edition, Middlebury’s Eric Davis predicted that in the coming gubernatorial campaign Republican Brian Dubie would not have to deal with conservative Tea Party issues. Almost as if it couldn’t happen here because our Republicans are too nice, Davis said he had a sense that the Tea Party was much smaller here in Vermont than in other parts of the country. It may or may not be smaller than in other parts of the country but it is making itself heard. Newly declared Republican candidate for US Senate Len Britton decided to make one of his first stops hunting for support at an early northern Vermont screening of Tea Party: The Movie.
Britton, along with most of a Republican County Committee, were treated to a sneak preview of that inspirational film.
Vermont View reporter’s blog notes that nationally the Vermont Tea Partiers are mentioned by Talking Points Memo as among those active enough to go to Washington with their counterparts to lobby Washington lawmakers.
Dubie’s campaign style (tactics?) of avoiding debates and relying almost exclusively on friendly audiences may require coming to terms with the Tea Party. Len Britton, with his feet on the ground, apparently knows this already. As for Davis’ prediction that Dubie won’t have to deal with the Tea Party elements of the Republican right in Vermont because they are smaller than elsewhere, one only has to think back to the nasty campaigns lead by Ruth Dwyer years ago. Looking at an old Inside Track column from 2005, I was reminded that one of Dwyer’s strong financial supporters was none other than Skip Vallee, Dubie’s potential rival for the Republican nod to run for governor.
In today’s Messenger, Richard Copperthwait said
‘Sounds like they aren’t looking for much of an alignment with the tea-partiers.
He will work with the other side as Douglas has – advancing his own agenda while saying he is listening to all points of view.
I hope Skip gets the nomination – and dream that the left would hold him accountable for his fund raising for G.W., but we’re not likely to be that lucky.