Here's a quick snapshot of the absurdity of picking McCarthy...
But what about Labrador? Well, there may be a problem there too...see if you can pick it out...WashingtonExaminer: If House Republicans respond to the shocking primary defeat of Majority Leader Rep. Eric Cantor, R-Va., by elevating his handpicked successor Rep. Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., it would be beyond tone-deaf. It would be pure absurdity. ...
Several groups placed McCarthy's voting record well to the left of Cantor's for 2013. The American Conservative Union rated McCarthy at 72 percent compared with 84 percent for Cantor; Heritage Action ratings place Cantor at 53 percent and McCarthy at 42 percent; and Club for Growth had Cantor at 68 percent and McCarthy at 53 percent. Moving away from conservative groups, the National Journal rated Cantor the 80th most conservative member of the House while McCarthy was 170th.
Several groups placed McCarthy's voting record well to the left of Cantor's for 2013. The American Conservative Union rated McCarthy at 72 percent compared with 84 percent for Cantor; Heritage Action ratings place Cantor at 53 percent and McCarthy at 42 percent; and Club for Growth had Cantor at 68 percent and McCarthy at 53 percent. Moving away from conservative groups, the National Journal rated Cantor the 80th most conservative member of the House while McCarthy was 170th.
McCarthy voted for a Hurricane Sandy relief bill that included spending that was unrelated to providing emergency aid, fought for the farm and food stamp bill, fought reforms to the federal sugar program, and backed an extension of the corporate welfare agency known as the Export-Import Bank. In January, he also supported a path to legal status for immigrants who entered this country illegally.
As Red State's Erick Erickson pointed out, McCarthy even participated in a retreat for liberal Republicans at the Ritz-Carlton on Amelia Island, Fla. The event was hosted by the Republican Main Street Partnership, which is a group run by representative-turned-lobbyist Steve LaTourette aimed at defeating conservatives. The organization includes big labor unions among its donors.
McCarthy is all around bad news for any reform within the GOP leadership. He will continue to shove Cantor's agenda, or worse, right alongside Boehner's directives (amnesty included). Yet, while Labrador is certainly more conservative than McCarthy, can it honestly be said that he is a conservative challenger? The hot topic of amnesty (excuse me, comprehensive immigration reform, as the neocons and statistcrats call it) comes to mind, and my concern with Labrador isn't that he's hispanic or bilingual...it's that he's a former immigration attorney.NationalJournal: Rep. Raul Labrador, a fiery conservative lawmaker from Idaho, will challenge House Majority Whip Kevin McCarthy in Thursday's special election to replace Eric Cantor as majority leader, according to Republican sources.
"I want a House Leadership team that reflects the best of our conference," Labrador said in a statement provided to National Journal. He later added: "I am running for Majority Leader because I want to help create a vision of growth and opportunity for everyone and start getting to work for the American people."
A sophomore representative from a heavily Republican district, Labrador's election would dramatically alter the dynamic atop the House GOP. The former immigration attorney is Hispanic and bilingual, and would add diversity to an all-white leadership team. Labrador is also a member of the enormous 2010 class, the members of which pushed the GOP into the majority—but have felt largely unrepresented since.
Yes, his immigration-reduction report card is higher than McCarthy's; however, in the short time the sophomore Labrador has been in the House, his grade is a bit troubling. Per their NumbersUSA Immigration-Reduction Report Card, while McCarthy holds a definitive F-, Labrador maintains a C+. That's better, right? Well, Cantor held a C+, and we know what he was pushing! Why shouldn't we expect an A or B conservative challenger?
MofoPolitics takes a much more critical (and creative) look at both contenders...
In all actuality, we're unfortunately not looking at a conservative challenger to McCarthy for the House GOP Leadership position, but rather a less liberal option to the Whip...with a hispanic background to boot. I of course mention the latter because we all know how the GOP Establishment likes to play demographic politics similar to their Democratic cohorts (only with less success).The race has come down to preferred establishment candidate, Kevin McCarthy vs. Raul Labrador.
In January, Kevin McCarthy told KBAK that he personally supports amnesty…
"In my personal belief, I think it’ll go with legal status that will allow you to work and pay taxes.After Eric Cantor’s stunning defeat to Dave Brat, McCarthy sought to downplay the role immigration played in the campaign– urging media allies to push the narrative that Cantor’s loss was an isolated incident.
On Wednesday, McCarthy assured Chamber of Commerce lobbyists that under his leadership, it would be business as usual…
"The night after Eric Cantor’s defeat, the House Republican whip, the amiable Kevin McCarthy—the apparent frontrunner to succeed Cantor as leader…was telling a group of lobbyists pulled together by the Chamber of Commerce in a private room in a D.C. steakhouse: Don’t worry, nothing much will change, it will be business as usual in the House of Representatives.La Raza’s Labrador Retriever pledged to make amnesty the GOP’s #1 priority in 2015…
"Immigration reform should be “one of the first things” Republicans take up.Before coming to Congress, Labrador ran a website called rapidimmigration.com, with “easy to understand advice for illegal immigrants seeking amnesty”…
No, seriously…
Labrador, in his role as president, created an assumed business name of rapidimmigration.com on Feb. 2 of (2005).
On the website, the company sold kits that varied in price for books and CDs with information on how to obtain temporary visas and other avenues to legally immigrate to the United States. A book with information on how to obtain an exchange visitor visa to work as a child care provider cost $54, for example, while the CD-ROM was priced at $32. …
The company was listed under Labrador’s law office in Nampa when it received an “F” rating by the Better Business Bureau.
At any rate, don't be fooled by this latest GOP charade. Virginia threw Cantor out, but they'll be damned if a conservative is installed in his place to muck up their amnesty agenda, or any other for that matter. But to be fair, a singular House conservative didn't step up to the plate quick enough, and likewise, House conservatives didn't exactly coalesce behind any individual. Missed opportunity all around.
Related link: House Conservatives Are a Caricature
