In Indiana, McConnell Allies Move to Block “Another Cruz”
Marlin Stutzman viewed as a “potential troublemaker … much like Cruz”
Apparently, Mitch McConnell is trying to undermine the senate run of a conservative candidate from Indiana that he sees as a potential disruptive force like Ted Cruz.
Rep. Marlin Stutzman is a member of the anti-leadership House Freedom Caucus, a conservative in the mold of Ted Cruz and a three-term Indiana congressman who voted against John Boehner as speaker.
Now, he wants a promotion to the Senate — and Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and his allies want to stop that.
Privately, McConnell has made clear to his confidantes that he wants to bolster the candidacy of Stutzman’s chief GOP rival, Rep. Todd Young, and push him over-the-top in the May 3 primary, according to sources familiar with the conversations.
This move is purportedly motivated, at least in part, by Stutzman’s vote against John Boehner.
CNN continues:
The move marks a new front in the simmering wars between the establishment and the right flank of the party, a battle that has dominated the GOP since the 2010 midterms and is roiling the 2016 presidential contest. But in this case, McConnell and his allies appear to be maneuvering to defeat a candidate whom they view not only as weak in a general election — but also as a potential troublemaker in the Senate GOP Conference, much like Cruz.In an interview with CNN, Stutzman pointedly accused McConnell of retaliating against him for his vote against Boehner last year, saying it “would be a lot harder” for him now to back the Kentucky Republican as Senate leader if he wins in November. He had previously signaled he’d back McConnell as leader.
“They don’t want me to be the next senator from Indiana,” Stutzman said. “I think (McConnell) is making a mistake by going after conservatives and trying to pick the nominee in Indiana because we just don’t like that.” Stutzman added: “Todd Young is going to vote ‘yes’ for Mitch McConnell, and Mitch McConnell knows that I voted against John Boehner. … Todd Young is a yes-man.”
CNN reports that some in DC see Stutzman as more like Ben Sasse than Cruz.
In the House, Stutzman not only was among 25 Republicans to vote against Boehner, but he has taken positions that have at times angered his party’s leadership. He voted against a procedural rule in 2015 to take up trade legislation, nearly scuttling the bill. The move infuriated GOP leaders since he ultimately backed the trade bill, a major priority of the GOP leadership.
Stutzman, however, has shown a desire to work with GOP leaders at times. And for that reason, McIntosh of the Club for Growth sees the congressman more in the mold of Nebraska Sen. Ben Sasse rather than a bomb-thrower like Cruz, who has capitalized on his high-profile battles with McConnell and GOP senators during his presidential run.
If you are not familiar with Stutzman, you may find the following short video about government in education of interest:
Here is one of his Senate ads:
DONATE
Donations tax deductible
to the full extent allowed by law.
Comments
Sounds…interesting. More info, please…
I love this part of the campaign season. I get to start sending money to all of the primary challengers. We only need to pick off a few RINOs each election. Soon their numbers will decrease and they will all go home or switch parties. Victory!
How many of the “anti-establishment” people will bother to vote in the Indiana SENATE primary? Then bitch when the RINO is the candidate?
862
We finally managed to get rid of Boehner, although Ryan isn’t much of an improvement (at least he isn’t orange). Let McConnell be next.
May the RINOs follow the dinos to extinction.
This report is from CNN, a dishonest agency that hates Republicans and seeks to stir up animosity among them. The situation is this: there are two Republicans considering a run for the position of Senator from Indiana, and McConnell may or may not have said something favoring one of them, but everybody knows that one of them voted against Boehner, so McConnell must still be personally pissed.
On the other hand, given all the weasel words in this “report,” CNN may have pulled a bunch of speculation out of their collective a$$es.
There is no information in the CNN story, although Marlin Stutzman has gotten a little attention, of that kind that just might get him some votes.
Let’s see if McConnell denies the report.
The Indiana GOP is blessed with two conservatives running for Dan Coat’s Senate seat. Of the two Stutzman is the further right as demonstrated by his taking on the House leadership (after they lied to him and caused him to change a principled vote on the December 2015 Cromnibus budget. The lie permitted the bill to opened again and it was passed). So Stutzman opposed Boehner for Speaker.
Todd Young was also a member of the House of Representatives, having defeated long-entrenched Dem Baron Hill in 2014. Hill is also running unopposed on the Donk ticket for the for the Senate seat. With the popularity of both Republicans there is little danger of the GOP losing the seat – but McConnell’s spiteful reaction to Stutzman’s principled stand is ugly.
But we Hoosiers will put Marlin in the seat just to thumb our noses at that old fart Rino from KY who somehow remains atop the Senate. And when that happens and Cruz is President, look for McConnell to get dumped.
As a new (actually returning) resident of Indiana, I was just this weekend looking into the Republican Senate primary race. I’m sure I am not the only Hoosier who appreciates McConnell’s advice. Like when the waitress says to George, “I know what you want: tuna on toast.” And George says. “I’ll have the complete opposite: chicken salad on rye, untoasted,with a side of potato salad, and a cup of tea.”
Well, when you run the “R”epublican wing of the socialist party, as McConnell does, you don’t want any nasty “conservatives” showing up to ruin the party.Mainly what you want is more bootlickers that put their “welfare” above that of the nation.