Team America's Freudian slip

ryanteaguebeckwith — Wed, 27 Feb 2008 15:49:31 -0500

Team America isn't sure who is running against U.S. Rep. Walter Jones.

In an endorsement on its Web site, the political action committee run by U.S. Rep. Tom Tancredo argues that the Farmville Republican's opponents have the wrong stance on immigration (bold ours):

Now pro-amnesty lobbyists and Washington insiders like Grover Norquist are campaigning against Jones and supporting his primary challenger Andy Harris. During the 2006 amnesty debate, Norquist warned if “the face of the Republican Party is [Tom] Tancredo,” the GOP would be weaker than “If the face of the Republican Party is George Bush.”

Jones is facing a primary challenge from former Onslow County Commissioner Joe McLaughlin. The PAC did not make the same mistake in its e-mail to reporters.

Andy Harris is the Republican nominee in Maryland's First Congressional District. With Norquist's backing, he recently defeated U.S. Rep. Wayne Gilchrest in the GOP primary.

Like Jones, Gilchrest had voted to bring combat troops home from Iraq and hold two Bush staffers in contempt of Congress.

Hat Tip: NewBernBear

Norquist campaigns against Jones

ryanteaguebeckwith — Mon, 18 Feb 2008 17:43:24 -0500

Anti-tax activist Grover Norquist campaigned across the 3rd Congressional district Monday, saying that Republican Congressman Walter Jones had broken his anti-tax pledge.

Norquist said Jones had violated an anti-tax pledge by voting last year for major farm and energy bills, Rob Christensen reports.

Norquist said he had known Jones for years, and had sent letters and talked to him by telephone urging him to avoid voting for a tax hike.

"There were flares up in the sky that were tax increases," Norquist said.

Glen Downs, Jones' chief of staff, said in both cases the farm bill and the energy bill were major pieces of legislation, and only a small portion involved increasing revenues — involving renegotiating oil company leases in the energy bill.

"There has never been a straight up tax increase that Walter has voted for," Downs said.

More after the jump.