It looks like the Republicans are already leaning on Chris Rants as their leader in the House again, which will likely not do much to help there desires to do better in the 2008 elections. One figured he might have some kind of challenge from Chuck Gipp, the current majority leader, but instead Gipp has decided to retire at the end of the next session so Rants is just going to take over. The Register has the story here.
Rants has blamed Republican turnout strategy for their losses next week, not ideology, according to Stella Shaffer at Radio Iowa. I think some House Republicans would like to blame Rants for being loyal only to his big-time interest group contributors versus the people who actually help get them elected. His focus on raising money beat out the focus on the electorate for some House Republicans who would face competitive races, like George Eichorn in his race against McKinley Bailey. But Rants is right about the Republicans weak absentee ballot strategy. I think their problem, however, was in their Yepsen-ian belief that because the Democrats’ strategy was different than in 2002 that it was going to be weak and horrible. Congrats to the IDP and their Field Director, Jesse Harris, for proving them wrong and giving them a nice ‘thumping’ on Election Day.
I guess the one thing they have on their counterparts in the Senate is a sense of unity.
Someone needs to take the helm in the leaky GOP. New Captain Rants blames the Republican turnout strategy for their losses and not ideology. So why did their recruitment of voters fail, if folks stilled believed in he old slogans? Maybe in the past they got that full crew by Shanghai? Folks scattered off the docks when their heard the same old talk of family values and evil doers—so Capt Rants must now sail with the lighter crew off to where they don’t have a clue.
Lucky us, we got a new Democratic Leader in the house, Steny Hoyer. And Nancy Pelosi is running the shipping company. Hoyer is a great Democrat that will well captain a new course for our country. And Pelosi is just the person to lead us in finding that better destination for all of us.