By Molly K. Hooper

Rep. Roy Blunt’s (R-Mo.) decision to leave the House is starting to sink in.

“We’re going to lose a hell of a lot,” Rep. Phil Gingrey (R-Ga.) said.

Blunt has played a leading role in the GOP’s new healthcare proposal and was called on to be a key pinch hitter in last year’s discussions on the $700 billion financial bailout package.

Some Republican members say Blunt’s departure will leave a big hole in the conference, especially amid tensions that have emerged between the top two GOP leaders.

The Senate hopeful has arguably played a more instrumental role in the House Republican Conference since he fell a handful of votes short of becoming Tom DeLay’s (R-Texas) successor in 2006.

The loss to Rep. John Boehner (R-Ohio) to become majority leader was agonizing, but Blunt has forged more of an identity in the wake of that leadership contest. Read more…

Related:

RedState.com: Rebuilding the Party: The Outsiders

To rebuild the Repubilcan Party, the party must run against both Washington and itself.

It is almost a schizophrenic dichotomy to suggest Republicans must run against the Republican Party, but it is, in fact, a critical necessity. In so doing, the GOP must run against the Washington Establishment, both in general and against Republicans in particular.

This is why, despite polling suggesting Charlie Crist will crush Marco Rubio in just over 370 days from now, I think Rubio has the advantage. The same goes for someone like Rick Perry in Texas, Karen Handel in Georgia, Nikki Haley in South Carolina, Sarah Steelman in Missouri, and others around the country.”

Comments

comments