At Least 14 GOP Lawmakers Refuse To Endorse McCain

At least 14 Republican members of Congress have refused to endorse or publicly support Sen. John McCain for president, and more than a dozen others declined to answer whether they back the Arizona senator.

Many of the recalcitrant GOP members declined to detail their reasons for withholding support, but Rep. John Peterson (R-Pa.) expressed major concerns about McCain's energy policies and Rep. Walter Jones (R-N.C.) cited the Iraq war.

A handful of other Republicans on Capitol Hill made the distinction between "endorsing" and "supporting," adding that while they have not endorsed, they do support McCain.
In recent weeks, much of the discussion and debate about party unity has been on the Democrats' side, amid their protracted presidential primary. Yet achieving harmony is a concern on both sides of the aisle this year.

It is not unusual for certain factions of the Democratic and Republican parties not to embrace their respective candidates for president. McCain's campaign seized on some Democrats' reticence about Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.), issuing a release on Tuesday that highlighted that Rep. Dan Boren (D-Okla.) is not endorsing the presumptive nominee. While some conservative Democrats have yet to endorse Obama and didn't back Sen. John Kerry (D-Mass.) in 2004, there are both centrist and conservative Republicans representing various parts of the country who are not embracing McCain.

Republican members who have not endorsed or publicly backed McCain include Sens. Chuck Hagel (Neb.) and Jeff Sessions (Ala.) and Reps. Jones, Peterson, John Doolittle (Calif.), Randy Forbes (Va.), Wayne Gilchrest (Md.), Virgil Goode (Va.), Tim Murphy (Pa.), Ron Paul (Texas), Ted Poe (Texas), Todd Tiahrt (Kan.), Dave Weldon (Fla.) and Frank Wolf (Va.).

Read the whole story here.

Comments

[MJD615]

McCain is going to lose a lot of Republican and Independent votes unless he seriously "rethinks" his policies on keeping troops in Iraq and illegal immigration. He just isn't listening.

[fcsakes]

So will the two backflushes who definitely ARE going to vote for McBush please step forward and identify yourselves.

[RaraAvis17]

This is fantastic - Watch the new video out about the Repuggs then send it to all your righty friends/family. :o)

http://www.imvotingrepublican.com/

[BlueStateMan]

Ron Paul is a lunatic.

[MJD615]

No, Ron Paul is not a lunatic. He is very truthful and he has a lot of good ideas. Have you even bothered to read his ideas?

[Alfannell]

Ron Paul said that he will not vote for McCain!

[fedup07]

And as the article says, the Repubs will put Party before Country yet again. They don't like McCain, they don't like his voting record, they don't like his temper, they don't like anything about him but he is a Repub and therefore they will vote for him regardless that McCain is bad for this country. Pathetic.

[naschkatze]

I wonder if the Republicans don't plan on dumping McCain in the end and then trying to get everyone to rally around the replacement out of sympathy. "Oh, poor guy, he's come on so late but he's trying his hardest."

[ibsteve2u]

Maybe all of the research done on Cheney leads them to believe that, at the last minute, they can reanimate Ronnie Ray-gun?

[ThinkLiberal]

McSame, Shrub and the entire GOPoopers clan are highly radioactive. Be smart, stay away!

[ahsaki80]

I'm not backing McCain either. Guess I'm one of the smarter Americans foreigners fail to talk about.

[gladys46]

Mc responds (ah, I think) to Supremes decision on Gitmo's detainee's right of due process!

Is he flippn' again??

[eugenegerard]

At this speed, do you really think McCain is going to come out of the Repuke Convention as the nominee?

[Flagal]

I found this in Amjordans profile, it was so funny I thpought it worth the re-post.

"How do you know Elliot Spitzer was a Democrat? He was caught with a woman

[e2008usa]

It"s sad to point out all policies failures and failures in policies... ERRORS or GAFFES regarding McCain's attempt to be a US president. But we"ve to do it in order to prevent peoples to hope for ignorance or McCain's gaffes.

McCain"s energy policies are made for LOBBYISTS because He has NO knowledge for clean energy, low-carbon energy, and that"s a problem in the 21st century. In 2008 at the senate, as only 1 vote was left to extend key production tax incentives for wind and solar power, McCain not only didn't vote but said clearly that he"d have opposed these measures (supporting his lobbyists). While Obama voted for the key votes energy policies for to support clean energy environment.

Obama made comprehensive proposals that will deliver the deep emission reductions that world"s scientists say are essential. While the experts says that McCain"s energy policies are simply outdated and out of touch. The Guy must be a candidate running for president by error. Look¦on the issue of allocation of allowances to emit greenhouse gases. McCain says that he would initially distribute all of the allowances free of charge to emitters (it means to Corporates companies ¦ not to peoples interests) " while all experts says that McCain"s vision would likely mean a windfall to these polluters.

Who is this Guy working for¦What does he care about?
He'll retire if we bring the troops home and End the War because... what left for McCain, then ?

[lornejl]

Christ I hate starting off the day with comments pending, ugh.

[AMJordan]

Hey, I have cats. There are many worse ways to start the day.

"That WAS my shoe. Did you have to do that?"

"Meow."

[lornejl]

; )

[MaxBob]

This is important to whom? Congress' approval rating is hovering around 20%, so an endorsement from one of these SCUMBAGS maybe an albatross around his neck. I'd be wanting NO HELP from Congress when it comes to endorsements.

[Reveille]

Congress may have a low rating overall but people tend to like their own Congressman, so an endorsement can help quite a bit. Every few years, however, there is a "throw 'em all out" movement. May this be the year for most of those with (R) after the name. Unfortunately, we in OH will have to wait to boot out the Great Mugwump, Voinovich.

[AMJordan]

Except that Congressmen and Senators are the "local" connection to the public. I think if you were to poll in every district and ask about the specific Rep or Senator you would find that in their individual places, they're great. It's the rest of the b-astards that are trouble.

[gladys46]

uh hu ... those lil earmarks they do be a helpn' at home!

[k6007]

That's usually, because they aren't paying attention. Huge problem!

[bikerdude]

The MSM is having a field day speculating on how stupid the voters will be in November. One poll says its tight another says its a landslide for one side then another one with a landslide for the other. McCain is a lousy candidate, and as the campaign moves forward he provides more and more evidence to that idea. I join those 14 repugs and will not back McCain. Speculating about the choices for vice is fun though...

[AMJordan]

I'm pretty sure that the Repulsives will have cornered the market on all the vice this year.