[Vision2020] Tea Party endorses Walt Minnick

[Kenneth Marcy]

http://tinyurl.com/y6q9tbt 

Tea party endorsement catches Democrat Walt Minnick, his challengers 
off-guard

BY ERIKA BOLSTAD - ebolstad at idahostatesman.com
Copyright: © 2010 Idaho Statesman
Published: 04/16/10

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WASHINGTON - The most influential national tea party group, backed by 
a $3 million campaign war chest, surprised Idahoans by endorsing 
freshman Rep. Walt Minnick's re-election bid. Not all local tea 
partyers were pleased.

Minnick is the only Democrat in the nation to land an endorsement from 
the Tea Party Express, the most prominent national organization in 
the burgeoning political movement.

Tea Party Express announced its slate of endorsements - and targets - 
at a rally in Washington held to mark the April 15 federal income tax 
deadline.

"We can't be just a Republican organization. We've got to be an 
influential force in both political parties," said Sal Russo, a 
veteran GOP political consultant and one of the forces behind the Tea 
Party Express. "We have to reward some Democrats thathave been 
willing to stand with us on the tough issues."

But a Boise tea party organizer said local leaders weren't consulted 
about the Minnick endorsement, and they were puzzled by it.

"We don't know where the national tea party came up with the 
endorsement of Walt Minnick," said Russ Smerz of Tea Party 
Boise. "It's a little concerning to us that Tea Party Express would 
endorse someone in the state of Idaho without consulting us first. 
We're not endorsing any candidate at this time - including Walt 
Minnick."

Minnick's campaign didn't solicit the endorsement, said spokesman John 
Foster. Minnick doesn't agree with all aspects of the tea party 
movement, Foster said, but the campaign welcomes support from a broad 
range of people.

"Walt has worked very hard to show that he can represent a wide 
variety of interests," Foster said.

Minnick was endorsed by the National Abortion and Reproductive Rights 
Action League in 2008. He's also seen support this year in the form 
of donations from individual members of firefighters and carpenters 
unions, Foster said.

Foster said Minnick suspects the endorsement came in part because of 
his voting record on fiscal issues: He voted against last year's 
economic-stimulus law, cap-and-trade legislation and the health care 
overhaul. Those three are among the five fundamental proposals the 
Tea Party Express has fought.

Also, Foster said, Minnick was the only member of the Idaho 
congressional delegation to attend a tea party town hall in Boise in 
August, at the height of the national fervor over health care reform. 
Sen. Mike Crapo, R-Idaho, participated in the event over the phone.

The two Republicans who are vying to face Minnick in November were 
just as baffled as Smerz. Vaughn Ward and state Rep. Raul Labrador 
spent the past two days campaigning at two separate tea party events 
in Idaho.

"The endorsements I care about are Idaho endorsements," Ward said.

Labrador said he saw the endorsement as additional interference from 
national groups that aren't familiar with Idaho politics. But he 
hastened to add that he feels a strong affinity for the Idaho tea 
party movement and doesn't associate the national endorsement with 
anything local tea party groups intend to do in the race.

"I think whatever it is - an endorsement or anything - it's not 
relevant to the people of Idaho. We have the same problem with the 
NRCC," he said, referring to the National Republican Congressional 
Committee, which has thrown its weight behind Ward in the May 25 
primary.

People at Boise's tea party rally were divided about the Minnick 
endorsement.

Patrick Clayton, 33, of Boise said he likes that Minnick voted against 
the health care law. The endorsement "speaks volumes to the tea party 
in general," Clayton said. "There's a lot of stereotypes that it's a 
Republican, white-led party. But it's not based on party or race. 
It's based on heart and values."

But Daniel Jensen, 51, of Boise said he tried to talk to Minnick once 
when he encountered him on a sidewalk. "He's very close-minded," 
Jensen said. "What we need is politicians to talk to the people and 
not think on their own. They represent us."

Erika Bolstad: (202) 383-6104. Reporter Katy Moeller contributed.

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