Conservative Union: Foxx, McHenry tops

ryanteaguebeckwith — Fri, 23 May 2008 10:05:31 -0400

The American Conservative Union ranked two North Carolina representatives tops.

U.S. Reps. Patrick McHenry and Virginia Foxx both scored 100 percent on the conservative group's annual Congressional ratings — two out of only 62 representatives to land among its "best and brightest" for the 2007 session.

At the same time, four Congressional Democrats — Reps. David Price, Brad Miller, Mel Watt and G.K. Butterfield — scored 0 percent, landing among the group's "worst of the worst."

The ratings were based on votes on a minimum wage hike, stem-cell research, the Iraq war, Amtrak funding, earmark reform, border security, support of Planned Parenthood and energy policy, among other things.

The rest of the delegation was in between. Among Republicans, Rep. Sue Myrick scored a 96, Rep. Howard Coble an 83, Rep. Robin Hayes a 79, and Rep. Walter Jones a 71. Among Democrats, Reps. Mike McIntyre and Heath Shuler, both Blue Dog Democrats, scored 44 and Rep. Bob Etheridge an 8.

Sens. Richard Burr and Elizabeth Dole both scored a 92.

Dole for veep?

ryanteaguebeckwith — Thu, 04 Oct 2007 13:35:11 -0400

A conservative blogger suggests U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Dole for vice president.

In a post on the Race 4 2008 site, Clarence Claus writes that the Salisbury Republican could be a good foil if the Democratic nominee ends up being U.S. Sen. Hillary Clinton.

Claus notes that she's served as secretary of transportation and labor, headed the American Red Cross and has a lifetime rating from the American Conservative Union of 91, an A grade from the National Rifle Association and a lifetime rating of zero from NARAL Pro-Choice America.

The Vice-Presidential candidate typically takes on the role of hatchet-man (or woman). This could be hard for Dole since she has kind of a syrupy persona, but she could attack Hillary in a way a male candidate couldn’t.

Claus says Dole would be a good pick for a Northerner like Mitt Romney or Rudy Giuliani.

In addition, Dole woudl have a former veep candidate in her corner — her husband, Bob, who ran alongside Gerald Ford in 1976.