It’s time for moderate Republicans to claim the term RINO as their own, and to be proud.
~~~Brent Boger
Former Clark County Republican chairman (and now Democrat).
“The Tea Party element of the party needs to accommodate more moderate Republicans — “That’s how you win elections,” said Boger (quoted in today’s Columbian).
Grassroots conservatives in Washington know differently. The record of “more moderate Republicans” is dismal. They don’t win elections. They most often lose them.
Since 1985, for more than a quarter century, throughout the entire post-Reagan era, Washington State has held 13 statewide elections. The major Statewide offices (Governor and the two U.S. Senate seats) have been contested 15 times. Republicans have had a top-two finalist for those (3) major offices all 15 times. Eleven of those Republican contestants have been “Mainstream Republicans of Washington” affiliated Establishment “moderates.” In every instance, when they are challenged by a conservative their argument is that the “moderate” is “the one who can win.”
Their results?
The Establishment candidates won only two out of eleven races (once as an incumbent) for a winning percentage of 18%. They lose 82% of the time.
[Last paragraphs of Republican Baby Killers]
[Editorial note: Hat tip to Alex Rion for the news of newly elected Clark County Republican Party PCOs helping to nudge Mr. Boger to the honest side of liberalism.]
