[Vision2020] Tea Party endorses Walt Minnick

[Wayne Price]

It figures!

I had an issue that I wanted "my Congress member" to get involved  
with, and that I spoke with him about in person during his election  
campaign here in Moscow,  and all I got back from his office was a  
"bread and butter" note from some staffer telling me thanks for  
writing and the name of a Congress member in Georgia that  was more  
interested in the issue than mine!

ALL politics are local and I think that the incumbent  is about to  
find that out in November! I'd LOVE to vote for a Democrat for  
Congress  from Idaho, now, where can I as a Democrat find one?











On Apr 16, 2010, at 10:54 AM, Kenneth Marcy wrote:

> 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
>
> http://tinyurl.com/y6q9tbt
>
> 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.
>
> http://tinyurl.com/y6q9tbt
>
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