Tuesday, June 23, 2009

Ex-Rep. Duncan Hunter Touts Fresh Faces To Revive GOP

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Iraq War Vets


Duncan Hunter, a retired Republican who once chaired the Armed Services Committee, has decided that Iraq War veterans are the perfect candidates to revive the Republican Party in 2010.

Hunter -- a Vietnam War vet who briefly sought the 2008 Republican presidential nomination -- is already backing two such candidates as they launch challenges to two of the more junior members of the House Democratic majority: Jesse Kelly, who wants to take on two-term incumbent Gabrielle Giffords in Arizona's 8th District, and Vaughn Ward, whose target in Idaho's 1st District is freshman Democrat Walt Minnick.


Having those who were willing to lay down their lives for their country in charge of keeping it safe is not a bad idea!

...Hunter said he has "a real appreciation" for "the guys coming off the battlefields in Iraq and Afghanistan," and, moreover, thinks they can make great candidates. He said the GOP needs to get away from its typical approach "where we stand up a businessman," and instead get behind "young, hard-charging" candidates like Kelly and Ward.

Both of the political newcomers served in the Marine Corps, which gives them something in common with Hunter's son -- and House successor. The freshman congressman, also named Duncan Hunter, won the 52nd District seat in 2008 after the elder Hunter left it open first to pursue his short-lived White House bid and then to retire.

Other 2010 GOP House candidates that fit that profile include New York Assemblyman Greg Ball, who is challenging second-term Democratic Rep. John Hall in the state's 19th District, and businessman Mike Pompeo in the race for Kansas' open 4th District seat.


Maybe this next time around, we should ensure that Republicans pick who the Republicans' standard bearers should be? What a novel idea!

Cross posted at Say Anything

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