Alaska Politics Blog : Club for Growth endorses Parnell, says Young "embodies what's wrong with the GOP"

Club for Growth endorses Parnell, says Young "embodies what's wrong with the GOP"

Posted by Alaska_Politics

Anchorage Daily News

Posted: June 6, 2008 - 7:41 am

From Erika Bolstad in Washington D.C. --

The Club for Growth officially has its sights on ousting U.S. Rep. Don Young, Alaska's congressman for the past 35 years. The conservative political action committee, which generally supports candidates who believe in limited government spending, endorsed Lt. Gov. Sean Parnell today. Parnell is running against Young in the Aug. 26 Republican primary.

The Club took aim at Young in a national forum: with an op-ed by its president in the Wall Street Journal, with the headline "Don Young embodies what's wrong with the GOP." A sample sentence: "Mr. Young spends taxpayer money so wastefully he could make a liberal Democrat blush."

I've asked Young's campaign to comment.

The text of the Club for Growth press release endorsing Parnell, is after the jump.

"Washington – Today, the Club for Growth PAC endorsed Lt. Governor Sean Parnell in his primary challenge to Republican incumbent Rep. Don Young. This is the Club for Growth’s second endorsement against an incumbent Republican this cycle. The first was an endorsement of State Senator Andy Harris in his challenge of Rep. Wayne Gilchrest (MD-01). Andy Harris won his primary on February 12, 2008.

The contrast between these two candidates could not be greater. Sean Parnell has a history of fighting for cutting spending and taxes in the Alaska State Legislature, and has made every indication he will continue that tradition in Congress. Already, Parnell is criticizing the out-of-control pork factory that has made Don Young famous. He has a strong appreciation for limited government, supporting less regulation, freer trade, and entitlement reform. Along with Governor Sarah Palin, Parnell is part of a new reform movement in Alaska seeking to wipe out corruption in the state.

In contrast, Rep. Don Young is notorious for his appetite for pork. He has become synonymous with such national embarrassments as the “Bridge to Nowhere” and Coconut Road—a $10 million Florida earmark for which Young is currently under investigation by the Justice Department. But Rep. Young’s pork-feast is just the tip of an economically liberal iceberg. Young also supported the Democrat’s Card Check bill that would deny workers a secret ballot in labor elections, opposed many free trade agreements, and voted to keep subsides for Viagra. Just a couple weeks ago, Don Young voted for a Democratic tax hike and proposed a one-dollar per gallon tax hike on gasoline.

“Don Young's antics have undermined the interests of his constituents and embarrassed Alaska voters,” said Club for Growth President Pat Toomey. “He symbolizes much of what has gone wrong with the Republican Party today. After several years of out-of-control spending and expansion of government, Republicans like Don Young must understand that they will be held accountable when they chase pork projects and special-interest subsidies. Fortunately, Republicans in Alaska have a choice this year. Instead of Don Young’s ‘Bridge to Nowhere,’ they can choose Sean Parnell’s steady reform; instead of Young’s profligacy, they can choose Parnell’s strong record of fiscal responsibility; instead of Young’s tirades, they can choose Parnell’s civility.”"

Alaska Politics Blog

Contributors

Features

Archive

Club for Growth endorses Parnell, says Young "embodies what's wrong with the GOP"

Comments