Its starting to get around that 11th congressional district candidate Chris Perkins did not vote in the 2010 election between Keith Fimian and Gerry Connolly. You know, the one Fimian lost by 981 votes? Rob and Nikki pretty much have the analysis covered. But more worrisome to me isn't necessarily that Perkins didn't vote. Look, things happen with folks' jobs and other things. It happens. I know it was an important election but things just happen sometimes.
What worries me more is that Perkins spent so much personal time and treasure supporting Rep. Gene Taylor, the Blue Dog Democrat from Mississippi that was finally beaten by Alan Nunnelee Steve Palazzo (thnx Spiker) that November. Taylor was one of those maddening faux-moderate Democrats that consistently got in everyone's way by trying to form or backing various Gangs of Whatever Numerical Value. Despite trying to show his "independence" by not voting for Nancy Pelosi as speaker, Taylor was still a Democrat enabling the agenda by being elected. He was a huge target fro Republicans and a major swing district that we needed to win the House.
The story here is that in 2010, in a major election that for the first time in six years Republcians FINALLY had the winds at their backs, Chris Perkins didn't vote in his own swing district and went to another swing district to work for the DEMOCRAT! We won 60+ seats in the House of Representatives in 2010 and Perkins was not in his district and he was volunteering and giving money to a Democrat in Mississippi! Seriously?
Combine this with his establishmnet endorsements and support from Tom Davis, its clear that Chris Perkins will just be a Generic Republican congressman if he were to be elected. He wouldn't fight for conservative constitutionalism because he doesn't want to. He's going to be go along, get along. He will be a Republican Gene Taylor. The Blue Dog Democrats are dying fast, and they are being replaced by Blue Dog Republicans, obsessed only with defeating Democrats simply so they can have the levels of power and actually fight for nothing deeper or more meaningful.
Chris Perkins, Blue Dog Republican.
Nunnelee beat Travis Childers, who was elected to the seat in a special election following Roger Wicker's appointment to the Senate after Trent Lott resigned.
Gene Taylor was defeated by Steve Palazzo.
Posted by: Stephen Spiker | May 27, 2012 at 01:11 PM
Excellent post. I'm with Vaughn
Posted by: James lightweis | May 27, 2012 at 04:52 PM
I met Ken Vaughn yesterday, he is impressive.
Posted by: Loudoun Lady | May 28, 2012 at 11:18 AM
Chris, Perkins and Gene Taylor are personal friends and had been for years. His support had nothing to do with politics, and everything to do with personal relationships.
Friendship often trumps partisanship. One of my close friends from college - a fraternity brother of mine and my roommate for a year - is running for Congress in Arizona. Am I supporting him despite the fact that he's a Democrat? Of course.
Cut Perk a little slack on the Taylor connections. As for why he didn't vote in 2010, why don't you just ask him?
Posted by: Brian W. Schoeneman | June 05, 2012 at 01:11 PM
It should be noted that Gene Taylor is far from your typical Democrat. In fact, he was one of the most conservative with a lifetime American Conservative Union rating of 64.6%, which is higher than some Republicans. While I'm glad Taylor's gone, I think it's important that we keep Perkins' support in context.
Posted by: Fairfax conservative | June 07, 2012 at 03:42 PM
Frankly, I'm impressed that Perkins would honor a personal friendship and work for a Democrat of which I am proudly one. By working for Taylor he was obviously aware of the election and what is totally unacceptable is, with knowledge, he chose not to do the duty and vote. As a military man of which he seems so proud of, does he not understand what his service was all about for so many years.(http://bluevirginia.us/showDiary.do?diaryId=6753) What I do take exception with even more than that is this so called integrity. Congressman Connolly believes in prochoice and chooses to defend what he believes. Perkins claims he is prolife and yet chooses not to defend his beliefs and leave it up to the woman. Who has integrity? I vote Connolly. As a democrat, I would be fine having a republican who is prochoice, and for limitations on guns. I can't lose between Connolly or Perkins. Why isn't he running in the 10th where he lives against Wolf; I'm sure my fellow democrats would vote for a social liberal in uniform. I would.
Posted by: Josh DiPietro | June 11, 2012 at 03:34 PM
We'll get to see what happens, won't we? Pathetic that the GOP establishment, represented on this thread by Schoeneman, is supporting a Dem pretending to be a Republican, wrapping himself in the flag. He met Taylor through, among other things, going with him on a number of CODELs. Just another cog in the machine, and unworthy of support.
Posted by: Robert Kenyon | June 13, 2012 at 07:02 AM