Lou Ann Zelenik « Rutherford County Democratic Party

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Another Conservative Attacks Lou Ann Zelenik’s Candidacy

Wednesday, November 18th, 2009

Stephen Shirley, Conservative DNJ Contributor

PRAYS ITS A CONSPIRACY TO MAKE HER GO AWAY

Stephen Shirley is known as a conservative contributor to the Daily News Journal through guest columns, DNJ forum posts, and blogs. Here’s what he had to say about Republican Lou Ann Zelenik’s decision to challenge Congressman Bart Gordon (D-Murfreesboro) in a DNJ guest column:

Zelenik certainly isn’t the perfect candidate. Never mind that she lost a Republican primary race for the Tennessee House 48th District. Zelenik comes across as a partisan blowhard interested more in hearing herself talk than in listening to local residents. She’s caustic, abrasive and quite simply annoying. Her schtick plays well with the “birthers” crowd. But independents simply plug their ears to her braying and search out a more reasoned voice.

Numerous political watchers openly wonder if the Zelenik campaign isn’t just an attempt to weaken Gordon for the 2012 election cycle. A campaign against Zelenik would force Gordon to spend from his campaign war chest. But what if weakening Gordon isn’t the only motivation for the Republican Party? What if there is a secondary motivation in encouraging a Zelenik campaign in 2010?

If Zelenik faces off against Gordon next November, spends significant amounts of her own money and still loses, she might conclude that elected office is not in her best interests. In one fell swoop, Republicans could hurt Gordon’s prospects of another re-election as well as clear the slate of a powerful, if not deeply flawed, candidate.

So call it the Zelenik gambit. It may be an attempt to weaken Bart Gordon. But by offering up Zelenik as campaign fodder in 2010, the gambit may also be an attempt to eliminate her from future discussions.

Posted in 2010, Elections, Lou Ann Zelenik, Radical Republicans, Rep. Bart Gordon (D-6) | 1 Comment »

Right-Wing Fringe Claims Victory Over Republican Overlords

Wednesday, November 4th, 2009

asterix-and-the-vikings Even though they lost a district that has been in republican hands since the Civil War to a Democrat, the TEA Party crowd and their fearless leaders consider the loss a victory in the effort to oust moderate republicans and take over the republican party.

Democrat Bill Owens won New York’s 23rd Congressional District last night even though Sarah Palin, Sean Hannity, Michelle Malkin, and Fred Thompson led an invasion of the longtime republican district. They demanded that the republican candidate, Dede Scozzafava, was not conservative enough for them. Right-wing activists imported their own candidate and insisted they would win with a true conservative. They didn’t.

The Virginia Republican candidate didn't even list party affiliation in his ads.

Meanwhile, GOP leaders in Virginia chose a moderate former Attorney General with 14 years of legislative experience for their Gubernatorial candidate. McDonnell downplayed his partisan affiliation and conservative social views, choosing to instead focus on the traditionally Democratic issues of jobs, healthcare, and education - the top 3 on the issues section of his web page. In fact, McDonnell didn’t even list his party affiliation anywhere on his home page and his ads didn’t either. He even used the traditional Democratic blue background, though he wears a sporty red tie, as you can see in the example to the right:

In New Jersey, Republican Chris Christie used similar techniques, not announcing party affiliation anywhere on his home page. The Democrats stuck with a wildly unpopular Governor who had been languishing under rock-bottom approval ratings since 2008 in a state that chose Barack Obama by nearly 20 points. The outcome? Moderates who downplayed their conservative republican background won the Governorships in New Jersey and Virginia.

It is clear that voters largely rejected the far right yesterday, but let’s hope the right-wing doesn’t get the memo and continues to recruit fringe candidates like Lou Ann Zelenik against common sense Democrats across America. We sure don’t want to be thrown in that awful briar patch.

Posted in Elections, FYI, Lou Ann Zelenik, Radical Republicans, Tea Parties | 2 Comments »

Republican Candidate Drops Out, Endorses Democrat 36 Hours Before Election

Sunday, November 1st, 2009

Dede Scozzafava (R) and Bill Owens (D), candidates for NY 23rd Congressional District

If you haven’t been following the high drama in New York’s 23rd District Congressional Special Election, we’ll forgive you. But suffice it to say that its been historic. Here’s a quick primer:

New York’s 23rd Congressional District has not been represented by a Democrat since the 1850’s. A special election to fill the vacated seat includes a Democratic candidate, a Republican candidate, and a “Conservative Party” candidate who doesn’t live in the district and was recruited and backed by right wing nutcases like Sarah Palin, Fred Thompson, and Michelle Malkin. The right wing fringe sees this as a chance to beat a moderate Republican and gain momentum in their takeover of the entire Republican Party. Leaders in the Republican Party such as Newt Gingrich have backed the Republican candidate, Dede Scozzafava, setting up a civil war within their own party. The internal squabble has made this race competitve for the Democrat, who is now poised to make history by being the first Democrat elected in this district since prior to the Civil War.

The Republican, Scozzafava, has seen her campaign collapse in recent weeks. She suspended her campaign on Saturday and announced her endorsement of the Democrat at 2:00 today. Following is a portion of her statement:

You know me, and throughout my career, I have been always been an independent voice for the people I represent. I have stood for our honest principles, and a truthful discussion of the issues, even when it cost me personally and politically. Since beginning my campaign, I have told you that this election is not about me; it’s about the people of this District.

It is in this spirit that I am writing to let you know I am supporting Bill Owens for Congress and urge you to do the same.

Please join me in voting for Bill Owens on Tuesday. To address the tough challenges ahead, we must rise above partisanship and politics and work together. There’s too much at stake in this election to do otherwise.

We have reported previously on the circular firing squad known as the Republican Party. Lou Ann Zelenik’s ouster and her replacement with Rick Womick seems to be merely a local outgrowth of a national right wing fringe takeover. And now even the Davidson County Republican Party is getting in on the action. Considering the Republicans’ recent disastrous national poll numbers, let’s hope it continues.

Posted in Democratic Party, Elections, Lou Ann Zelenik, Michelle Bachmann, Radical Republicans, Republican leaders, Rick Womick, Tea Parties | No Comments »

Zelnek Forced Out By Fellow Republicans

Monday, October 26th, 2009

crylady Last month, we reported on the internal brawl of the Rutherford County republican party. Matthew Hurtt, former DNJ columnist/Rutherford young republican vice chairman and treasurer/conservative blogger, called for Lou Ann Zelnek to resign as Chairman of the Rutherford County republicans. Former Tennessee republican party communications director Bill Hobbs chimed in, criticizing her as a weak candidate with too much baggage.

Matt Hurtt followed up his call for a resignation with daily tweets:

matthewhurtt: 19 days since @LouAnnZelenik announced Congressional bid. When will she resign as Chairman of the RuCo GOP? This is a conflict of interest.

matthewhurtt: 18 days since @LouAnnZelenik announced Congressional bid. When will she resign as Chairman of the RuCo GOP? This is a conflict of interest.

matthewhurtt: 17 days since @LouAnnZelenik announced Congressional bid. When will she resign as Chairman of the RuCo GOP? This is a conflict of interest

Looks like Hurtt got his way, and its not surprising. Zelineck was already rejected by her own party in her own county when losing a mere state house primary, even though she outspent her opponent 4 to 1. It seems nothing has changed in the circular firing squad known as the Rutherford County republican party. Its no wonder Americans’ confidence in republican leadership is at a 25-year low.

Posted in Lou Ann Zelenik, Radical Republicans, Rutherford County Republican Party, Tea Parties | 7 Comments »

“Bill Frist Too Liberal”, Says Conservative Talk Show Host Laura Ingraham

Thursday, October 22nd, 2009

lauraiimage4 CLAIMS FORMER GOP MAJORITY LEADER FRIST AGAINST FREEDOM

On her conservative talk radio show yesterday, Laura Ingraham and Republican Minnesota Congresswoman Michelle Bachmann described Bob Dole and Bill Frist (R-TN) as “losers” who were against a “pro-freedom” agenda because he supports healthcare reform. Ingraham went so far as to suggest that Frist’s ideology was a “losing outlook”. Will the circular firing squad (otherwise known as the republican party) come to an end? Considering recent polling, let’s hope not…

The pair discussed recent statements made by retired GOP Senate Majority Leaders Bill Frist (TN) and Bob Dole (KS) in support of some type of comprehensive health reform.

Dole has called for Republicans to become engaged in the process, stating “we’ve got to do something” to solve the current crisis. Frist has endorsed the Senate Finance health reform bill, and has called out “people on the extreme” in his own party for falsely labeling President Obama’s health reform as “socialized medicine.” Clearly incensed by these comments, Ingraham and Bachmann traded barbs trashing the former Republican leaders for daring to veer away from a “pro-freedom agenda”:

INGRAHAM: Of course. God bless Bob Dole he just came on our show, I have great respect for the man. And also for Frist. But Frist presided over a pretty disastrous situation in the Senate.

BACHMANN: They lost.

INGRAHAM: They lost. And Bob Dole lost how many times on a national level? I guess I’ve lost count. [...] That Republican ideology and that Republican outlook has been a losing outlook. That’s why President Obama wants more of us to be like them.

BACHMANN: Because we want a pro-freedom agenda. And he’s trying to throw people around who he believes will increase a non-pro-freedom agenda.

Posted in Bill Frist, Lou Ann Zelenik, Michelle Bachmann, Radical Republicans, Republican leaders, Rutherford County Republican Party, Tax and Spend Republicans, Tea Parties | 1 Comment »

Former Rutherford Young Republican Officer, Conservative Activist Calls For Resignation of Lou Ann Zelinick

Thursday, October 8th, 2009

Matthew Hurtt, Former Rutherford County Young Republican Vice Chair & Treasurer, Conservative Blogger, Former DNJ Guest Columnist

SAYS ZELINICK’S BID FOR CONGRESS INCOMPATIBLE WITH PARTY RESPONSIBILITIES

ARLINGTON, VA - Former Rutherford County Young Republican Vice-Chairman and Daily News Journal columnist Matthew Hurtt suggests today that Rutherford County Republican Party Chairman Lou Ann Zelenik should resign her position following her announcement Tuesday that she would seek the Republican nomination for Congress in Tennessee’s 6th District against incumbent Democrat Bart Gordon.

In a post on MatthewHurtt.com today, Hurtt wrote, “My advice now is that [Zelenik] immediately and without hesitation resign her position as Chairman. Continuing in this role is in clear violation of what I would consider political professionalism. Zelenik absolutely must remove herself from the party leadership.”

Hurtt cited the conflict of interest in Zelenik’s chairmanship due to the fact that other Republican candidates filed to run. “Lou Ann is not the only Republican in this race,” Hurtt said. “Dave Evans,a Major General in the U.S. Army Reserve, filed to run for Congress long before Zelenik’s announcement. It seems to me that an unfair advantage exists for Zelenik due to apparent support by the Rutherford County Republican Party based on the fact that she serves on the Executive Committee.”

Zelenik, who served as the Vice-Chairman of the Rutherford County Republican Party at the time, unsuccessfully ran for State House in 2008 against Joe Carr in the Republican primary. Hurtt notes, “Zelenik’s candidacy in 2008 caused great turmoil among the Rutherford County Republican Party. Rumors were spread that were detrimental to the successful candidate, Joe Carr.”

Posted in Lou Ann Zelenik, Rep. Bart Gordon (D-6), Rutherford County Republican Party | 1 Comment »