Losing Our Norm
Leo has an interesting piece on True North about Sen. Norm Coleman’s party unity ranking by CQ.
A new study finds that Sen. Norm Coleman voted with a majority of fellow Republicans just 64 percent of the time last year on the eve of a tough re-election battle, his lowest rating since entering the Senate in 2003.
Looked at another way, the Minnesota senator opposed his party 36 percent of the time, putting him fifth among GOP senators, behind party moderates Olympia Snowe (Maine), Arlen Specter (Pennsylvania), Susan Collins (Maine) and Gordon Smith (Oregon). [NOTE: Norm Coleman voted against his party more than CHUCK HAGEL--ed]
The party unity ratings were published by Congressional Quarterly, a Capitol Hill publication. The 64 percent rating follows 77 percent ratings in 2006 and 2005, 91 percent in 2004, and 92 percent in 2003.
Coleman’s fifth-place rating in 2007 is his highest, but not by much. In 2005, his opposition voting record was 6th among Republicans. In 2004, he was 13th in the category, his highest figure. He was 8th in 2003 and 2006. Two of Coleman’s Democratic challengers said Coleman is doing what he can to help his own re-election, not Minnesotans. A spokesman for Coleman counters that he’s consistently been an “independent Republican” looking out for the state’s best interests.
This is a great example of what I mean when I say “wayward Republican”. You can’t take the conservative base for granted. We expect results, and that isn’t a one time deal on election night.
Leo wants to have a talk Mr. Senator.
Your base– you know, the ones that work for you and give you money to get you elected–would like to have a talk with you, Norm. With a RINO voting record like that, who the hell needs democrats?
So would a lot of others. If you don’t start to reconnect with your base, Senator, and I mean stat, this sort of news and revelation on your record is going to spell your demise. You’ve voted against the best interest of limited government conservatives in the party a number of times, and we’re stubborn elephants with a long memory.
I’ll take that 64% rather than the 3% Amy Klobuchar is giving me. If you had a better Republican to run for the Senate, I’d be right behind you in supporting him or her. I wish you did, I’d love to have better. You don’t. Whine all you want, then get out and work in your own best interest. Please.
Not whining. Just presenting facts.
A lot of people are hung upon the 80& Reagan conservative rule. Well, Norm has blown his average of late, and I hope he realizes it is going to cost him. He is taking the base for granted.
I am hoping I have a POTUS guy I can faithfully support and wrk for. But I am also ecstatic that I have Rep. bachmann to support, as well as a choice of fantastic MN House candidates who will need my help.
Oh and yes, Amy sucks, and I busted my ass for Kennedy/against her, but it didn’t work out. So don’t lecture me about shutting up and working for a candidate. Seems to me there were some people who weren’t so against Amy as they are Al this time around. Why don’t you go lecture them.
I’ll be attending Norm’s St. Cloud Townhall meeting Wednesday so I will talk with him. Rest assured that I’ll voice a number of these concerns.
(Like Fred, I’m too old to be coy.)
We all have our limitations on time, money and energy, and you are right, there are a lot of candidates more “deserving” than Norm out there to defend or promote. We don’t even have to be “against” the opponent– a positive message works much better and on that, I DO fault the Coleman campaign.
Closed circuit to The Senator: Enough with trying to scare us with Al Franken, already. None of us were ever going to vote for him, anyway. What we want is to have a reason to vote FOR you, and to do that, you need to vote for us– and better than 64% of the time. Those who are paying the most attention to your votes are those those with the votes you need the most, who will pound signs, contribute and generally make the effort. It’s like you always say, “A leader without followers is just a guy out for a walk.”
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