Conservative flank of House GOP caucus might challenge leadership
Maryland delegates Nic Kipke and Michael Smigiel may take on the current House GOP leadership, a shift that would move the caucus to the right.
Kipke said in an interview that he's been approached by several House Republicans and asked to challenge current Minority Leader Anthony O'Donnell. However, Kipke said that he -- and other members of the GOP -- are now "evaluating" what the next steps could be. The news was first reported on the blog Red Maryland.
Kipke said that he's keen to avoid a nasty leadership fight, and believes that some arrangement will be made with O'Donnell. O'Donnell could not be reached immediately.
Kipke said in an interview that he's been approached by several House Republicans and asked to challenge current Minority Leader Anthony O'Donnell. However, Kipke said that he -- and other members of the GOP -- are now "evaluating" what the next steps could be. The news was first reported on the blog Red Maryland.
Kipke said that he's keen to avoid a nasty leadership fight, and believes that some arrangement will be made with O'Donnell. O'Donnell could not be reached immediately.
Maryland's Republicans picked up at net of six new seats in House of Delegates last year. There are 43 members in the House GOP caucus and 16 of them are freshman.
"There is a lot of young blood in the caucus," Kipke said, adding that many members are finding innovate new ways of communicating with the diaspora of Republicans in Maryland, a deep blue state.
Exhibit A is Del. Neil Parrott, a freshman GOP lawmaker who spearheaded a challenge to the MD Dream Act. Parrott used his own money to launch a repeal effort and he created signature-gathering campaign that drew over 100,000. The law is poised to be the first in a generation to be put on the ballot.
His efforts drew no financial contributions from the GOP leadership.
Kipke said the success of Parrott's efforts has energized the GOP base, who want to be more involved in the party. Kipke believes he can find ways of bringing their voices into the debate.
Smigiel, who founded the House Tea Party Caucus, said in an interview that he wants to see the party focus more on fiscal discipline. He noted that current Minority Whip, Jeannie Haddaway-Riccio, asked the House Speaker for money to fund pet projects even though she publicly criticized the practice of making such requests.
"You lose the message in the hypocrisy," Smigiel said.
"There is a lot of young blood in the caucus," Kipke said, adding that many members are finding innovate new ways of communicating with the diaspora of Republicans in Maryland, a deep blue state.
Exhibit A is Del. Neil Parrott, a freshman GOP lawmaker who spearheaded a challenge to the MD Dream Act. Parrott used his own money to launch a repeal effort and he created signature-gathering campaign that drew over 100,000. The law is poised to be the first in a generation to be put on the ballot.
His efforts drew no financial contributions from the GOP leadership.
Kipke said the success of Parrott's efforts has energized the GOP base, who want to be more involved in the party. Kipke believes he can find ways of bringing their voices into the debate.
Smigiel, who founded the House Tea Party Caucus, said in an interview that he wants to see the party focus more on fiscal discipline. He noted that current Minority Whip, Jeannie Haddaway-Riccio, asked the House Speaker for money to fund pet projects even though she publicly criticized the practice of making such requests.
"You lose the message in the hypocrisy," Smigiel said.
Comments
Just what we need.
When we have a serious chance to possibly make some progress in the legislature, we will start some stupid new in-fighting. I hope these clowns don't wonder why they are the minority party.
Posted by: From Harford | August 11, 2011 11:24 PM
If the GOP wants to contribute in a meaningful way to the political scene in MD, they need to get their act together and stop all this in-fighting.
Either that, or admit that there are now two types of conservatives: those that pretend to be but still spend like they're liberals, and those that actually care about cutting spending, increasing personal/business freedom, and lowering taxes.
Posted by: John J. Walters | August 12, 2011 9:43 AM
When you are totally irrelevant, who cares how far to the fringe you go? They could all dress up as Musolini and be taken just as seriously as they are today. Sad but true. Hillbilly conservatism is going nowhere in Maryland.
Posted by: G. Frangler | August 13, 2011 9:05 PM
The only reason that Del. Smigiel is going after Del. Haddaway-Riccio is because she beat him this year for minority whip. The rest of the party thought she would be-- and she is-- a more rational spokesperson for Republicans. The last thing the party needs is the ego-centric, full of hot air blathering of Smigiel to represent Republicans. If he wants to shoot his big mouth off, as he always does, let him do it as his own spokesman, not a representative of all Republicans. We have enough problems as it is without a fool like Smigiel making the rest of us look as foolish as he does.
Posted by: Bobby G. | August 15, 2011 8:36 AM