Michael Gaynor
Mitt Romney for President and Wendy Long for U.S. Senator
By Michael Gaynor
The right thing for Turner and Maragos to do is to follow Santorum's example, stop their campaigns and work to "elect Republicans and conservatives up and down the ticket."
Before Obama was elected President, National Journal rated him the most "liberal" United States senator.
This year New York's junior senator, Kirsten Gillibrand, appointed in 2009, earned the same designation.
Both of them are running for re-election and need to be defeated.
New Yorkers should support Mitt Romney for President and Wendy Long for Senator and Long's Republican rivals should put aside their egos and enthusiastically support Romney and Long as the most viable candidates instead of continuing ultimately futile campaigns.
Why Unite
It's obvious: In this the Age of Obama the people who believe in traditional American values and reject Obama's "fundamental transformation" need to work together before it's too late and refuse to let the perfect become the enemy of the good.
On October 6, 2011, in "The Keys to Defeating Obama: Truth and Unity" (www.webcommentary.com/php/ShowArticle.php?id=gaynorm&date=111006), I wrote:
"The key to victory for traditional American values is spreading the ugly truth about the Far Left...and opponents of Obama and his stealth socialism uniting instead of dividing.
"If Obama gets 'four more years' to pursue his plan to 'fundamentally transform' America and the number of Americans who are poor and benefiting from income tax without paying any continues to increase, the damage may be irreversible and a big government-dependent majority may maintain the Far Left in power in perpetuity."
Why Mitt Romney
On October 11, 2011, in "Mitt Romney: Best Choice in 2008 and Now" (www.webcommentary.com/php/ShowArticle.php?id=gaynorm&date=111012), I wrote:
"After listening to New Jersey Governor Chris Christie endorse Mitt Romney and watching Romney become the standout in the Republican presidential candidates debate hosted by Bloomberg News, it seems obvious that Romney should be the next President and is the strongest candidate that Republicans can nominate. Other Republican hopefuls made good points, but Romney is best prepared for the tasks of winning the 2012 presidential election AND doing what the President of the United States needs to do to return to America's founding principles and the unparalleled prosperity they brought.
Newt Gingrich and Rick Santorum want to be President too, and each of them would have been much better than Obama, but Mitt Romney will be the 2012 Republican presidential nominee and they should be directing their political fire at Obama and his allies, because the upcoming election is too important to divert effort to planning on losing.
Why Wendy Long
As highlighted on her campaign website (www.wendylongfornewyork.com), Long is "asking for the support of every man and woman in the state of New York who believes in the limits of government and the possibilities of freedom."
At the New York Republican convention, Long won nearly half of the voters, while her two male rivals, freshman Congressman Bob Turner and Nassau County Comptroller George Maragos barely qualified to participate in a primary by winning a bit more than 25% of the votes.
Three days later, the three Republican hopefuls sought the New York Conservative party nomination. On the first ballot, Long won 91% of the votes and the other two split the rest. Then Long's nomination was made unanimous.
Long will be running on the Conservative line and, as Bob Turner told Newsday, he has "no ideological or party issues" with either primary rival, but, "I don't think they can carry this thing as well as I can." Apparently Maragos feels the same, because he continues to campaign.
Turner and Maragos need a reality check.
It is true that the New York Republican Party has never nominated a woman to run for United States Senator, but New York's Conservative Party now has done so twice.
In 1974 the Conservative Party nominated Barbara A. Kleating to run against liberal Republican Jacob Javits and liberal Democrat Ramsey Clark and she won 15.9% of the vote.
That paved the way for the Conservative Party to nominate James Buckley in 1976 and him to win a three-way race with liberal Republican Charles Goodell and liberal Democrat Richard Ottinger.
Having tried and failed to win the Conservative nomination, neither Turner nor Maragos has a viable path to victory in a three-way race. Each of them could only hope to divide the right of center with Long, while Gillibrand would easily win re-election.
In addition, Gillibrand would be delighted to run against another conservative male Republican who never went to law school. In 2010 Gillibrand beat the Republican-Conservative candidate, certified public accountant and former Congressman Joe DioGuardi, by 28%.
Long, a fellow Dartmouth educated wife, mother of two and attorney, is Gillibrand's nightmare and New York's hope.
New York Assemblywoman Nicole Malliotakis is right:
"With New York at the forefront of the Republican Party's effort to regain control of the Senate, we carry the burden of nominating the most capable and dynamic candidate, unafraid to take the fight to an extremely well-financed U.S. Senator. As we struggle under the Obama-Gillibrand policies of reckless spending and big government programs like ObamaCare, Wendy Long is of the precise character, demeanor, and experience to carry the Republican banner in what will be among the country's most important races. Her service under Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas and Court of Appeals Justice Ralph Winter instilled the ideals of judicial restraint and strict adherence to our Constitution. These are values that were proven through her successful efforts to ensure the confirmation of Chief Justice John Roberts and Justice Samuel Alito, and have become so desired during this administration. Wendy Long is not only what New York needs, she is what our nation needs."
As Long put it when she addressed the Republican convention:
"The main purpose and idea of my campaign is not original. I can't claim authorship. An inspired group of New Yorkers and other Americans came up with the idea, about 225 years ago.
"It's called limited self-government, of the people, by the people, and for the people.
"No one in this country is above the law, and no one is beneath it. The law is what protects the weak from the strong, affirms the dignity of every person, and overlooks no one in its demand of equal justice.
"The principles and ideals of the American Constitution and Declaration of Independence are what give us hope for a future that is bright for businesses large and small, for jobs and free enterprise and private property in New York, for safety for our families, and for individual freedom."
At the NRA annual convention last week, Santorum declared: "I pledge to you that even though I'm no longer in this race I will be all-in between now and November to make sure that we elect Republicans and conservatives up and down the ticket" (www.politico.com/blogs/burns-haberman/2012/04/santorum-bella-is-now-an-nra-life-member-120479.html).
The right thing for Turner and Maragos to do is to follow Santorum's example, stop their campaigns and work to "elect Republicans and conservatives up and down the ticket."
© Michael Gaynor
April 17, 2012
The right thing for Turner and Maragos to do is to follow Santorum's example, stop their campaigns and work to "elect Republicans and conservatives up and down the ticket."
Before Obama was elected President, National Journal rated him the most "liberal" United States senator.
This year New York's junior senator, Kirsten Gillibrand, appointed in 2009, earned the same designation.
Both of them are running for re-election and need to be defeated.
New Yorkers should support Mitt Romney for President and Wendy Long for Senator and Long's Republican rivals should put aside their egos and enthusiastically support Romney and Long as the most viable candidates instead of continuing ultimately futile campaigns.
Why Unite
It's obvious: In this the Age of Obama the people who believe in traditional American values and reject Obama's "fundamental transformation" need to work together before it's too late and refuse to let the perfect become the enemy of the good.
On October 6, 2011, in "The Keys to Defeating Obama: Truth and Unity" (www.webcommentary.com/php/ShowArticle.php?id=gaynorm&date=111006), I wrote:
"The key to victory for traditional American values is spreading the ugly truth about the Far Left...and opponents of Obama and his stealth socialism uniting instead of dividing.
"If Obama gets 'four more years' to pursue his plan to 'fundamentally transform' America and the number of Americans who are poor and benefiting from income tax without paying any continues to increase, the damage may be irreversible and a big government-dependent majority may maintain the Far Left in power in perpetuity."
Why Mitt Romney
On October 11, 2011, in "Mitt Romney: Best Choice in 2008 and Now" (www.webcommentary.com/php/ShowArticle.php?id=gaynorm&date=111012), I wrote:
"After listening to New Jersey Governor Chris Christie endorse Mitt Romney and watching Romney become the standout in the Republican presidential candidates debate hosted by Bloomberg News, it seems obvious that Romney should be the next President and is the strongest candidate that Republicans can nominate. Other Republican hopefuls made good points, but Romney is best prepared for the tasks of winning the 2012 presidential election AND doing what the President of the United States needs to do to return to America's founding principles and the unparalleled prosperity they brought.
Newt Gingrich and Rick Santorum want to be President too, and each of them would have been much better than Obama, but Mitt Romney will be the 2012 Republican presidential nominee and they should be directing their political fire at Obama and his allies, because the upcoming election is too important to divert effort to planning on losing.
Why Wendy Long
As highlighted on her campaign website (www.wendylongfornewyork.com), Long is "asking for the support of every man and woman in the state of New York who believes in the limits of government and the possibilities of freedom."
At the New York Republican convention, Long won nearly half of the voters, while her two male rivals, freshman Congressman Bob Turner and Nassau County Comptroller George Maragos barely qualified to participate in a primary by winning a bit more than 25% of the votes.
Three days later, the three Republican hopefuls sought the New York Conservative party nomination. On the first ballot, Long won 91% of the votes and the other two split the rest. Then Long's nomination was made unanimous.
Long will be running on the Conservative line and, as Bob Turner told Newsday, he has "no ideological or party issues" with either primary rival, but, "I don't think they can carry this thing as well as I can." Apparently Maragos feels the same, because he continues to campaign.
Turner and Maragos need a reality check.
It is true that the New York Republican Party has never nominated a woman to run for United States Senator, but New York's Conservative Party now has done so twice.
In 1974 the Conservative Party nominated Barbara A. Kleating to run against liberal Republican Jacob Javits and liberal Democrat Ramsey Clark and she won 15.9% of the vote.
That paved the way for the Conservative Party to nominate James Buckley in 1976 and him to win a three-way race with liberal Republican Charles Goodell and liberal Democrat Richard Ottinger.
Having tried and failed to win the Conservative nomination, neither Turner nor Maragos has a viable path to victory in a three-way race. Each of them could only hope to divide the right of center with Long, while Gillibrand would easily win re-election.
In addition, Gillibrand would be delighted to run against another conservative male Republican who never went to law school. In 2010 Gillibrand beat the Republican-Conservative candidate, certified public accountant and former Congressman Joe DioGuardi, by 28%.
Long, a fellow Dartmouth educated wife, mother of two and attorney, is Gillibrand's nightmare and New York's hope.
New York Assemblywoman Nicole Malliotakis is right:
"With New York at the forefront of the Republican Party's effort to regain control of the Senate, we carry the burden of nominating the most capable and dynamic candidate, unafraid to take the fight to an extremely well-financed U.S. Senator. As we struggle under the Obama-Gillibrand policies of reckless spending and big government programs like ObamaCare, Wendy Long is of the precise character, demeanor, and experience to carry the Republican banner in what will be among the country's most important races. Her service under Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas and Court of Appeals Justice Ralph Winter instilled the ideals of judicial restraint and strict adherence to our Constitution. These are values that were proven through her successful efforts to ensure the confirmation of Chief Justice John Roberts and Justice Samuel Alito, and have become so desired during this administration. Wendy Long is not only what New York needs, she is what our nation needs."
As Long put it when she addressed the Republican convention:
"The main purpose and idea of my campaign is not original. I can't claim authorship. An inspired group of New Yorkers and other Americans came up with the idea, about 225 years ago.
"It's called limited self-government, of the people, by the people, and for the people.
"No one in this country is above the law, and no one is beneath it. The law is what protects the weak from the strong, affirms the dignity of every person, and overlooks no one in its demand of equal justice.
"The principles and ideals of the American Constitution and Declaration of Independence are what give us hope for a future that is bright for businesses large and small, for jobs and free enterprise and private property in New York, for safety for our families, and for individual freedom."
At the NRA annual convention last week, Santorum declared: "I pledge to you that even though I'm no longer in this race I will be all-in between now and November to make sure that we elect Republicans and conservatives up and down the ticket" (www.politico.com/blogs/burns-haberman/2012/04/santorum-bella-is-now-an-nra-life-member-120479.html).
The right thing for Turner and Maragos to do is to follow Santorum's example, stop their campaigns and work to "elect Republicans and conservatives up and down the ticket."
© Michael Gaynor
The views expressed by RenewAmerica columnists are their own and do not necessarily reflect the position of RenewAmerica or its affiliates.
(See RenewAmerica's publishing standards.)
