Bloggers and whisperers are floating suggestions that Bill Bolling should be kicked out of the Republican Party, or some such nonsense.
Even the Washington Post reports, “Some are urging the GOP to make that official by removing him from the party.”
Here’s the funny part!
“I think his future as a candidate within the Republican Party as presently constituted is nil,” said Bob Holsworth, a former Virginia Commonwealth University professor and veteran Richmond politics watcher.
Ha! Why are these creaky old doors continually quoted when they have the prognosticatory skills of a blind weatherman? Those who teach and “watch” get quoted?
This all reminds me, and should remind Grandpa Bob as well, of a guy who became the longest serving Republican in statewide electoral history.
Sen. John Warner
Remember him? He lost a convention. Fate intervened in the tragic plane crash that took the life of Richard Obenshain, father of AG candidate Mark Obenshain, and John Warner only went on to hold a US Senate seat for 30 years.
And right wingers wanted to kick him out of the Republican Party many of those years. Warner publicly backed an independent run by Marshall Coleman against GOP Senate nominee Oliver North. He was part of the “Gang of 14,” the “Gang of 20” and did a whole lot of things that drove the right wing absolutely batty. He wasn’t hip with the NRA or the pro-lifers, either.
John Warner also kicked Mark Warner’s electoral hind quarters (easier said than done) and dispatched a right wing primary challenge with nary a scratch. Without him, Virginia hasn’t had 2 Republican US Senators since, and currently doesn’t even have one.
While someone might cleverly paraphrase Sen. Lloyd Bentsen and say, “I knew John Warner, he was a friend of mine, and Bill Bolling, you’re no John Warner,” certainly no one can claim that Bolling is more moderate, centrist or left-leaning than John Warner’s record was.
And Warner won statewide for 30 years. No other Republican comes close to touching that record. And don’t get me started on how much Virginia misses Warner’s Chairmanship of Senate Arms Services Committee.
So when State Central Republicans talk about deciding who gets to stay and who gets to leave the Republican circle, let’s hope someone reminds them that the point is to have a majority of voters support you to win.
Quixotic politicos intent on turning the Republican Party into the Libertarian Party would’ve handed John Warner’s 30 years of service right to the Democrats.
Don’t worry, Mr. LG. You’re in good company. The Party is better when its tents are bigger.
