Short of Money, G.O.P. Enlists Rich Candidates

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/11/26/us/politics/26recruit.html?_r=1&hp&oref=slogin

WASHINGTON, Nov. 25 — Confronting an enormous fund-raising gap with Democrats, Republican Party officials are aggressively recruiting wealthy candidates who can spend large sums of their own money to finance their Congressional races, party officials say.
At this point, strategists for the National Republican Congressional Committee have enlisted wealthy candidates to run in at least a dozen competitive Congressional districts nationwide, particularly those where Democrats are finishing their first term and are thus considered most vulnerable. They say more are on the way.

These wealthy Republicans have each already invested $100,000 to $1 million of their own money to finance their campaigns, according to campaign finance disclosure reports and interviews with party strategists. Experts say that is a large amount for this early in the cycle.

...and to the plutocracy, for which it stands....

Pity I hardly ever find myself at events where the pledge might be recited. I'm tempted to start saying it that way.

The first question almost always asked of a Repugnican candidate is for a current financial statement. 20 years ago, a good friend who had served nearly 10 years in city government decided to run for a local office as a Repugnican (since there was no visible Democratic party)...and was all but rejected in favor of a son of a local fat cat. The son never held a real job in his life, but that didn't matter, the "slate making" committee all but demanded that candidates self-finance and also throw some coin to the local party. My friend barely had $1.50 to his name...his opponent spent at least $50,000 for a county position. He later went on to buy a state House seat as well. Hell, Peter Fitzgerald bought himself a Senate seat here in Illinois in '98.

The GOOP is in bad shape financially. Thanks to boy georgie and his unpopular war, economy and other policies, the pocketbooks on their side of the aisle are gone. Also with it are the big money-shakers...the DeLays, Abramoffs and Roves and in its place are total incompetents who continue to watch their party splinter on its way to what appears to be an election abyss. Face it, with the party already in the minority with little prospects of picking up seats, what's the upside in throwing money at these scumbags? The gravy train has derailed.