Minority Republicans Are Fighting Among Themselves
Tuesday, November 13, 2012 at 02:05PM As if losing some 120 seats in the New Hampshire House of Representatives, going from a 298-102 majority to a 222-178 minority, was not bad enough, the remaining 178 or so Republicans seem to be deeply divided as to whom they will select to lead them in minority status.
Even as recriminations fly back and forth with Republicans trying to figure out just what hit them, the party seems split between former Speak Gene Chandler and outgoing Speaker Bill O'Brien's choice of Pam Tucker (some, including your humble correspondent here, would go so far as to say that Tucker is offering herself up as Bill O'Brien's puppet).
O'Brien seems more than anything else to resemble that captain on the Italian ship which ran aground last summer, saving himself while dozens of passengers went to their watery deaths. You know the ship and captain I mean....
Clearly it's not just O'Brien who has endorsed Tucker. Outgoing Finance Chair Ken Weyler, no stranger to intrigue within the Republican caucus himself, late last week released a list of 70 Tucker supporters.
With 178 members, 70 won't be enough to elected the minority leader. If everybody shows up for the vote Thursday, 90 votes will be necessary, and it's my assumption (albeit only an assumption) that nearly everyone not on the Weyler list is or will be supporting Chandler.
This seems to be a classic case of O'Brien newbies unwilling to accept the more seasoned Chandler. As if getting thumped in the election is not bad enough, they seem to want to take us back to the days of confrontation and...dare I say...bullying tactics.
Clearly, I will (assuming I survive a recount this afternoon) be voting for Gene Chandler.
In the past, supporters have basically been kept quiet. Sure, there have been lists, but they have never been so openly touted as Weyler chose to do last week. This cannot bode well for the Grand Old Party which will have more trouble than ever getting its act together in the wake of this public spat.
Democrats, meanwhile, will have a race for their leader (and presumably Speaker) as David Campbell, of Nashua, challenges former Speaker Terri Noreill, or Portsmouth. I would predict Norelli as Speaker with Chandler as GOP leader, but then remember that two years ago, I had predicted Chandler over O'Brien.
Here's the Tucket list Weyler flaunted to all (presumably) Republicans.
From: KWeyler@aol.com
To: KWeyler@aol.com
Sent: 11/9/2012 5:05:54 P.M. Eastern Standard Time
Subj: Fwd: FW: Press Release: Pam Tucker’s Bid for House Republican Leader Earns ...
Pam Tucker’s Bid for House Republican Leader Earns Support from over 70 Lawmakers -NH House Members from Across the State Line Up to Support Tucker - Greenland – In less than 24 hours, over 70 New Hampshire Republican House Members have publically endorsed State Representative Pam Tucker to serve as their Republican Leader during the 2013-2014 legislative session. Additional elected officials are supporting Rep. Tucker’s bid but prefer not to release their names publically. “I am humbled and honored to receive the support of so many of my fellow representatives from all over the state in such a short period of time,” said Deputy Speaker Pam Tucker, State Representative for Rockingham District 23. “Together we can create a strong Republican caucus that focuses on keeping New Hampshire affordable to all residents by balancing the budget and seeing that the state government lives within its means and keeps our commitment to creating new jobs by lower taxes and reducing burdensome regulation.” Tucker was recently elected to her third term in New Hampshire House. The New Hampshire House Members supporting Tucker’s bid for Republican Leader include: Jane Cormier Mark McConkey John Burt Calvin Dean Pratt John Hikel Richard Meaney John Cebrowski Keith Murphy Moe Villeneuve Don LeBrun Emily Sandblade Ralph Boehm Jeanine Notter William O’Brien Lenette Peterson Dick Hinch Robert Rowe Stephen Palmer Tony Pellegrino Bob Willette Jim Coffey Andy Renzullo Jordan Ulery Curtis Grace Patrick Culbert Mark Warden Gary Daniels Kathy Souza George Lambert Dan McGuire Carol McGuire JR Hoell Bruce Hodgdon Romeo Danais L. Mike Kappler Dan Dumaine Stella Tremblay Joseph Hagan James Devine David Murotake Al Baldasaro Daniel Tamburello Bob Fesh Frank Sapareto David Thompson Mary Griffin Walther Kolodziej Gary Azarian Marilinda Garcia Bianca Garcia Joseph Sweeney Patrick Bick Daniel Itse Regina Birdsell Kenneth Weyler Kevin St. James Debra DeSimone Mary Allen Frederick Rice Tracy Emerick Michele Peckham Pam Tucker Tim Comerford Jeffrey Oligny Curtis Grace Richard Gordon Robbie Parsons John Mullen Joseph Pitre Steve Beaudoin Warren Groen Laura Jones Skip Rollins ###
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