If it was not already clear by former statements and letters, Republican Party Chairman Tuckerman Babcock sent a “rejection letter” to three House members who, although elected with Republican support, abandoned their party to join Democrats and overthrow the Republican House leadership.
Tens of thousands of Republican dollars went into the campaigns of Rep. Gabrielle LeDoux of Anchorage, Paul Seaton of Homer, and Louise Stutes of Kodiak.
But as soon as the election was certified in November, 2016, the three joined the Democrats to create a majority that took over the Alaska House of Representatives. Since that happened, the Legislature has been in session for nearly half of 2017, and the House has been a scene of chaos, including having a serious sexual assault scandal.
The letter sent by Babcock, in full:
Dear Representatives LeDoux, Seaton and Stutes,
Pursuant to Article I, Section 4(f)(4) of the Rules of the Alaska Republican Party (ARP), and confirmed by a vote of the State Central Committee of the ARP, you are hereby notified of the following: You are not eligible for any financial or other support from the ARP, its affiliates, or subordinates and we do not recognize you as a legitimate Republican primary candidate in 2018.
The ARP, its affiliates and subordinates are authorized to recruit candidates for the office you now hold and to campaign actively for your defeat.
You have engaged in actions detrimental to the ARP values and goals. Specifically, by forming a coalition in which Democrats hold the majority when a Republican majority has been elected.
Alaskans elected 21 Republicans to the State House – a majority. You abandoned that Republican majority and created a Democrat majority organization.
We respectfully insist that if you run for reelection, have the dignity and honesty to do so as a representative of some entity other than the Alaska Republican Party.
The ARP sees no legitimate reason you should seek to cling to identification as a “Republican” during your reelection after you have chosen to place the Democrats in command of the agenda of the State House.
We do not begrudge you your freedom to align with the Democrats and the goals and political objectives of that Party. We all recognize this is America, the “Land of the Free and the Home of the Brave.” While you have every right to abandon your old team and align with another political party, your old team has every right to abandon you and align with another candidate.
We wish you well in the path you have chosen.
Sincerely,
Tuckerman Babcock
Chairman Alaska Republican Party
Good letter from T.B. That is, until
the last sentence where he wished these turncoats “well”! That was patentedly very disingenuous because we all know that he does not wish them well. Nor do the people who spent time and money on their campaigns who now believe these three are political Traitors. They will spend their time and money to get them thrown out of office next election.
… because, as we all know, the purpose of a legislative House member is to pay fealty to the party, not to represent the best interests of the district. And the Republican Party is such an august group to pay fealty to, too. You know, the party of Trump and McConnell and Sullivan and the most-bonkers-House-member in living memory: Don Young.
I am a bit confused: Despite these sanctions, can these turncoats run in the Republican primary? Or can the party disqualify them? Wouldn’t the best strategy be to beat them in the primary rather than let Democrats vote for them in the General?
Comments are closed.