I have asked Newt Gingrich the same question and got an indirect response. Wayne is an old friend, was loyal to the GOP and is concerned about the Bay, yadda yadda. Oh and Newt doesn't think party activists should try to remove ("purge") the party of politicians with which they disagree. Yeah.
But Newt wasn't running for office (and if he's smart he won't, ever again). Sen. Pipkin was, I assume, in the race to win. That is, he wanted to take Gilchrest's seat in Congress, why? a. He didn't think Gilchrest was serving Republicans in District 1; and b. He didn't think the major challenger was quite right for the job.
Now I asked him: If you wanted Gilchrest out of office, why did you enter the race? By entering the race late in the primary you virtually guaranteed Gilchrest would prevail. I have yet to receive a response. So I have decided to make it a multiple choice question figuring that Pipkin was the type who likes to play the odds.
I entered the race because:
A. As an Eastern Shore Republican (ES-GOP) I thought I was a shoo-in because ES-GOPs will always prevail against WES-GOPs in this District.
B. I was afraid Sen. Harris would lose against the incumbent so I purposely entered to siphon off all the ES-GOP votes that would have gone for Gilchrest. By presenting the ES-GOPers with an ES-Alternative to the alternative to Gilchrest, I was actually HELPING Sen. Harris defeat Gilchrest! Your're welcome.
C. The odds were good that I would win in a three-way race simply by placing my name on the ballot. If I didn't win, well at least I wouldn't be up to my eye-balls in debt (oh, yeah, I guess you guys would be stuck with Gilchrest for another two or four years). Easy come, easy go, right? If I did win, wa-Hoo! I would be in for life. Those ES-GOPers will keep sending me back term after term. Talk about Easy Street! I wouldn't have to do anything! I don't have a real job. I don't have Naval Reserve duty obligations. I already live out here! I can finally chuck that gruelling Bay Bridge commute to Annapolis 90 days out the year!So, either way, Pipkin had nothing to lose by entering the race and a nice bit of gravy if he did happen to beat the odds. Too bad for the rest of us, though. How inspiring! What an example to set for the next generation of the Internet and Wall Street nouveau-fat. Play the odds and get the gravy. At least the "Republicans for Kratovil" have some principles, severely misguided and foolish principles, but principles nonetheless. I doubt we'll see Sen. Pipkin joining their ranks. Why should he? What are the odds of winning anything? Zero. Mama didn't raise no fool.
6 comments:
Do you think everyone should have just moved aside because King Andy said he wanted it? I know Andy enjoyed a privileged life but most of us feel as though you have to earn your way. I got news for him. If elected, he's going find out just how much a nobody he really is.
Bud,
I predicted you would be the first tp comment but glad to say I was wrong on the what the gist of your comment would be.
Of course neither I nor the Harris campaign would keep anyone from exercising their rights a citizens to run for public office.
But, I question the timimg. It is at the least disingenuous to say as Pipkin did that he wanted to replace Gilchrest, while the very act of entering the primary well after Harris had established his candidacy, made the job of replacing Gilchrest, hard enough as it was, even more difficult, if not impossible.
Is this logic so difficult to follow?
Mike,
People such as myself were looking for a suitable replacement for Gilchrest, regardless of party affiliation. One of the names that always popped up was E.J. Pipkin. Perhaps, Mr. Pipkin tried to seize the same golden opportunity as Harris. If republicans saw Gilchrest as vulnerable, which he clearly was, then competitors like Pipkin aren't going to sit back and allow an anointed one to capitalize. Personally, I wish Pipkin prevailed in the primary. He would have been a good Congressman for all of us.
I wrote Mr. Pipken immediately after Gilchrest went out of his way to assault Gov. Ehrlich. I did not receive the favor of a reply. I don't know who "King Andy" is, but when I heard there was a genuine Republican who was willing to take the Eastern Shore RINO on, I immediately sent him a contribution.
My own take on the Pipsqueak entry into the race is that he figured he could split the vote, get the RINO renominated, and then come in after a couple of years and pick up the nomination. I wouldn't vote for this dude for anything, even in his county.
John C
John,
I suspect someone would like you would have even voted for Gilchrest had he won the primary. Therefore, I am not buying the fact you'll never vote for Pipkin. You may reject him in the primary, but he'd almost certainly get your vote in a general election. All he needs is that "R".
Before I finish with the on-topic part of the comment I'd be interested to see how you do with this:
http://monoblogue.us/?p=902
Anyway, I think Pipkin saw an opportunity to place himself as a centrist candidate - not in the traditional sense, but if you imagine a seesaw with Gilchrest on the left and Harris on the right, Pipkin attempted to position himself between the two. Had E.J. jumped in back in May when Harris was still exploring his options, he probably would have won but Pipkin's late entry made him sort of like a carpetbagger.
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