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Midterm GOP wins were based on local issues
The Gazette Opinion Staff
Nov. 13, 2009 11:58 pm
Charles Krauthammer's Nov. 7 column echoed the right wing's spin that two state elections won by Republicans in the recent midterm elections are good news for conservative Republicans and bad news for Obama and Democrats. He's off base as usual.
The voting in those races turned on the candidates' competence and stands on local issues, not on Obama.
New Jersey's Democratic Gov. Jon Corzine lost to Chris Christie, a former federal prosecutor with a reputation for fighting corruption, because of ethical problems and his poor handling of the state's budget crisis.
In Virginia, winner Bob McDonnell ran toward the center, offering proposals to improve transportation, education and the environment.
Neither of those candidates who won wanted anything to do with Sarah Palin, while the high-profile conservative who embraced Palin and was trumpeted by Rush Limbaugh and Glenn Beck - Doug Hoffman in upstate New York - lost in a district that hadn't elected a Democrat since 1872.
So much for the right's influence.
Russ McCarthy
Tiffin
Midterm GOP wins were based on local issues
Charles Krauthammer's Nov. 7 column echoed the right wing's spin that two state elections won by Republicans in the recent midterm elections are good news for conservative Republicans and bad news for Obama and Democrats. He's off base as usual.
The voting in those races turned on the candidates' competence and stands on local issues, not on Obama.
New Jersey's Democratic Gov. Jon Corzine lost to Chris Christie, a former federal prosecutor with a reputation for fighting corruption, because of ethical problems and his poor handling of the state's budget crisis.
In Virginia, winner Bob McDonnell ran toward the center, offering proposals to improve transportation, education and the environment.
Neither of those candidates who won wanted anything to do with Sarah Palin, while the high-profile conservative who embraced Palin and was trumpeted by Rush Limbaugh and Glenn Beck - Doug Hoffman in upstate New York - lost in a district that hadn't elected a Democrat since 1872.
So much for the right's influence.
Russ McCarthy
Tiffin
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