Club for Growth

From Wikinfo

Jump to: navigation, search


Search for "Club_for_Growth" on Wikipedia  • Wikimedia Commons • Wiktionary • Wikiquote • Wikibooks • Mediawiki Wikia • Wikitravel • Google Advanced Search • Yahoo Advanced Search • WorldCat Advanced Search • Amazon • Recent NY Times • Older NY Times.

For criticism see Criticism of Club_for_Growth

The Club for Growth is a 501(c)(4) political organization and an affiliated political action committee that raises money for candidates who support a low-tax and limited-government agenda. The group claims over 40,000 members.

In the 2002 Congressional races, 17 out of 19 candidates endorsed by the organization's PAC won. It also endorsed Mark Sanford in the South Carolina gubernatorial Republican primary. He defeated Lt. Gov. Bob Peeler.

In 2004, the Club for Growth's PAC caused a stir within the Republican Party by endorsing and heavily supporting U.S. Representative Pat Toomey, who challenged incumbent Senator Arlen Specter in the Republican primary in Pennsylvania. The organization was reported to have collected contributions totaling over $934,000 for Toomey. It also spent $1 million on its own independent television advertising campaign on Toomey's behalf. Toomey barely lost the race against Specter, 51%-49%, due in large part to President Bush, the RNC, and Sen. Santorum all supporting the incumbent. Afterwards, Toomey accepted his current position as President of the Club for Growth.

The club invented the "RINO Watch" list to monitor "Republican office holders around the nation who have advanced egregious anti-growth, anti-freedom or anti-free market policies." (RINO is an acronym for Republican In Name Only.) The list has focused on Republicans who voted against tax changes and budget cuts supported by the Club.

In addition, the Club for Growth also makes independent expenditures encouraging certain moderate Republicans to vote more conservatively (i.e., running ads against Senators George Voinovich of Ohio, Olympia Snowe of Maine, and Lincoln Chafee of Rhode Island after these Senators objected to certain aspects of President Bush's tax cuts).

Contents

2006 Elections

After a good deal of electoral success in 2004, the Club continued its policy of supporting candidates conforming to its ideology for federal office, especially during contested primaries. Freshmen U.S. Congressmen Adrian M. Smith (R-NE), Doug Lamborn (R-CO), Bill Sali (R-ID), and Tim Walberg (R-MI) all won their heavily contested primary elections in large part because of the Club's involvement. In fact, Rep. Walberg defeated moderate incumbent Republican Congressman Joe Schwarz in the August 2006 Michigan primary. Schwarz was backed by Pres. Bush, Sen. McCain, the NRCC, and almost all of the state's Republican establishment. The Club for Growth criticized Schwarz for a number of liberal views on fiscal issues including his votes against the elimination of earmarks in appropriations bills and his support of higher taxes while in the Michigan Legislature. He was the only incumbent Republican congressman defeated in a primary that year.

The Club was also able to boast of successfully supporting the reelection of Democratic Congressman Henry Cuellar (D-TX) in a heavily fought race against liberal former Congressman Ciro Rodriguez.

The most high profile race of the year for The Club was their support of ultra conservative Cranston, Rhode Island mayor Stephen Laffey against moderate incumbent Senator Lincoln Chafee. Chaffee was able to hang on for a 54% to 46% victory in large part because of Democrats that crossed over to vote for him and the aid of Sen. Elizabeth Dole and the NRSC, President Bush, and the rest of the party's establishment in Rhode Island.

2007 Elections

The Club suffered two defeats in 2007 special elections.

  • The Club endorsed state senator Steve Buehrer in the special election for Ohio CD 5 to replace the deceased Rep. Paul Gillmor. Buehrer however was defeated by Bob Latta, the son of former Rep. Del Latta, in the Republican primary in November 2007 by a 44% to 40% margin. Latta went on to defeat the Democrat and be elected to congress.
  • The Club strongly supported Paul Jost, the chairman of the Virginia chapter of The Club for Growth, in the contest to replace deceased Rep. Jo Ann Davis in Virginia congressional district 1. In the nominating convention however Jost was defeated by state delegate Rob Wittman. Wittman went on to win the special general election versus Democrat Phil Forgit and was sworn into congress in December 2007.

2008 Elections

The Club entered the 2008 election cycle by continuing to fund candidates for congress that support their stated goals of less taxes, more trade, and smaller government. In most cases the candidates they support are in conservative districts that should be held by a conservative Republican. It is believed however that they will not support a candidate if they are not viewed as a viable contender in their own right. This is allegedly why the Club failed to support Joe McLauglin in his primary challenge to Rep. Walter Jones in North Carolina's 3rd congressional district. McLauglin went on to lose by a 60% to 40% margin.

Victorious Candidates

  • The Club strongly supported state senator Andrew P. Harris in his successful primary campaign for Maryland's 1st congressional district against incumbent Republican congressman Wayne Gilchrest. Despite some polls and predictions that Gilchrest would survive, on the Feb. 12th primary Harris surged to a strong 44% to 32% victory. Gilchrest is the second incumbent Republican to be defeated by a candidate supported by the Club. The first was Rep. Joe Schwarz in Michigan in 2006.

[1]

  • Chris Hackett for Pennsylvania CD 10 vs. incumbent Rep. Chris Carney. Hackett defeated Dan Meuser in the primary on April 22, 2008 by 52% to 48%.
  • The Club backed State Sen. Steve Scalise in his May 3, 2008 special election victory for Louisiana CD 1 (vacated by Gov. Bobby Jindal) with 75% of the vote. He had previously defeated Tim Burns in the Republican primary by 58% to 42%.
  • State Senator Tom McClintock in California's 4th congressional district to replace retiring congressman John Doolittle. McClintock defeated former congressman Doug Ose by a 53.7% to 38.7% margin in the June 3, 2008 primary. [2]
  • Congressman Steve Pearce for an open New Mexico senate seat (being vacated by Sen. Pete Domenici.) Rep. Pearce defeated Rep. Heather Wilson by a 51% to 49% margin in the June 3, 2008 primary.
  • The Club endorsed Rep. Paul Broun in his reelection primary campaign versus state rep. Barry Fleming for Georgia's 10th CD. Broun, a staunch conversative Republican, surprised virtually all observers with a landslide 71% to 29% victory in the July 15, 2008 primary election. [1]

Defeated Candidates

  • In Mississippi's 3rd Congressional District, The Club endorsed Charlie Ross, a former state senator, for the position being vacated by the retiring Chip Pickering. Ross however was defeated in the April 1, 2008 primary run-off election by Gregg Harper 57% to 43%.
  • The Club endorsed, but did not raise funds for, Matt Shaner in Pennsylvania's CD 5 (being vacated by Rep. John Peterson.) Shaner finished a close 2nd in the crowded April 22, 2008 primary to Glenn Thompson by a vote of 19.4% to 17.7%. Pennsylvania does not have run-off elections.
  • The Club endorsed Woody Jenkins for Louisiana CD 6 being vacated by Rep. Richard Baker. He was defeated on Sat. May 3, 2008 by Democrat Don Cazayoux by a 49% to 46% margin. Louisiana does not have a run-off for special general elections.
  • The Club supported State Senator Harri Anne Smith's losing campaign for Alabama's 2nd congressional district (being vacated by Rep. Terry Everett). Smith placed second in the June 3, 2008 primary with 22% of the vote and faced a run-off on July 15, 2008 with State Rep. Jay Love who earned 35% of the vote. The NRCC and most Republican officials eventually endorsed Love as Smith was seen by many to be running a weak campaign. Smith lost the July 15, 2008 run-off to Love by a 53% to 47% margin. [2]

Upcoming Elections

  • The Club has endorsed Dr. Bob Onder, a state rep., for the open seat of Rep. Kenny Hulshof in Missouri's 9th CD. Hulshof is leaving the seat to run for governor and Onder faces a competitive Republican primary in the August 5, 2008 election.
  • August 26th Republican primary fight between Lt. Governor Sean Parnell and Rep. Don Young for Alaska's only congressional seat. Young has been labeled a king of pork barrel politics and the father of the "Bridge to Nowhere." The Club is strongly supporting Lt. Gov. Parnell's race.
  • In the September 2, 2008 Republican primary the Club has endorsed Maricopa County Treasurer David Schweikert for Arizona's CD 5 (seat held by Rep. Harry Mitchell. This district is viewed as a pick up opportunity for the Republicans.)
  • Sen. John E. Sununu's (R-NH) reelection versus former New Hampshire Gov. Jean Shaheen, a rematch of the 2002 election.
  • former Congressman Bob Schaffer for the open Colorado senate seat of Sen. Wayne Allard versus Democratic Rep. Mark Udall.
  • former State Rep. Dean Andal for CA CD 11 (seat held by Rep. Jerry McNerney.) This seat is viewed as another possible Republican pick-up.

The Club has run a series of ads attacking moderate Republican state treasurer Lynn Jenkins in her quest to be elected from Kansas' 2nd congressional district. Jenkins faces a heated battle with former congressman Jim Ryun in the primary. The current representative, Democrat Nancy Boyda, was elected in a 2006 upset over then incumbent Rep. Jim Ryun. It is unknown why The Club ran ads against Jenkins, but yet did not endorse or support Ryun directly. The primary is being held on August 5, 2008. [3]

The Club is also supporting the reelection campaigns of Congressman Tim Walberg in Michigan's 7th district, and Rep. Doug Lamborn in Colorado's 5th district. Additionally, they continue to support previously funded candidates that won their primary elections.

2008 Presidential Election

During the 2008 Republican presidential primaries The Club was critical of Mike Huckabee, using funds from backers of Mitt Romney to attack him as the "tax-increasing liberal governor of Arkansas" .[3] Huckabee, in turn, has referred to the Club for Growth as the "Club for Greed."[4]

The Club has occasionally made statements both in support and opposition to various proposals by Sen. John McCain. To date they have not endorsed a presidential candidate.

References

  1. ^ baltimoresun.com: 2008 Primary Results
  2. ^ The Club For Growth - http://www.clubforgrowth.org
  3. ^ "Huckabee foes open their wallets for attack ads". Los Angeles Times. January 1, 2008. http://www.latimes.com/news/politics/la-na-money1jan01,1,10456.story?coll=la-politics-campaign. 
  4. ^ Huckabee?: Comment: The New Yorker

External links

This page uses content from Wikipedia. The original article was at Club for Growth.
The list of authors can be seen in the page history. The text of this Wikinfo article is available under the GNU Free Documentation License and the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 license.

English | Română | edit

Retrieved from "http://www.wikinfo.org/index.php/Club_for_Growth"