Business-friendly Texas Republicans spending big to promote Ohio liberal Dennis Kucinich. Why?

[w8liftinglady]

http://trailblazersblog.dallasnews.com/archives/2012/02/business-friendly-texas-repulb.html

Why would wealthy, business-minded Republicans from Texas be spending big money to send mailers and do robocalls in Ohio in support of one of the most liberal Democrats in Congress - Dennis Kucinich ? The Ohio legislature, which is controlled by the GOP, has redrawn congressional lines in Ohio - pairing Kucinich with another Democratic incumbent. The nonpartisan, Texas-based super PAC Campaign for Primary Accountability is promoting Kucinich in mailings and telephone calls.

Federal Election Commission filings show it has $1.7 million - much of that money from Texans. Texas construction executive Leo Linbeck III gave the group $775,000, Midland oilman Tim Dunn gave $350,000, El Paso investor William Sanders gave $18,750. Other big-money to the PAC came from Wisconsin Investor Eric O'Keefe, who gave it $100,000. Linbeck's father, Leo Linbeck Jr., is an instrumental figure in Texans for Lawsuit Reform, a lobby group that has sought to shield businesses from lawsuits. Linbeck III and O'Keefe are behind the Health Care Compact Alliance, which wants to replace federal health care programs including Medicare and Medicaid with block grants to states.

The Cleveland Plain Dealer first reported the effort by the business-friendly Texans to promote Kucinich. Officially, a spokesman for the PAC says Kuchinich is a good guy. But it's not like he's stood up for anything the big donors support. One possibility is that the group believes that Kucinich would be the weaker candidate against a Republican in the newly drawn district in November. In the meantime, promoting Kucinich means that both Democrats in the primary will have to spend money, leaving the eventual nominee is worse shape for the fall.



(In my paper today.... what's your opinion?...esp those of you in Ohio... )

[think]

1. K&R Very strange. Would like to hear opinions on this as well. /nt

[TheWraith]

2. They'd rather have him in office than Kaptur.

Who is less loud and much more effective in her office.

[fascisthunter]

3. yeah... effective sell-out

[bluestate10]

8. Kaptur is going to beat Dennis as if he is a rented mule. nt

[mmonk]

4. My opinion is that Dennis has a right to run if he wants. I'm not from Ohio for clarification.

Republicans have done the same thing here in NC. But you can't be afraid of the devil (Republicans) and beat him.

[Gman]

5. They think he's the weaker candidate in November

WTF is Kucinich doing accepting their money?

[white_wolf]

7. If the group is a super-PAC, Kucinich doesn't have to accept their money.

He has no control over them.

[think]

9. It's a Texas based super pac. He has nothing to do with them.

These wealthy Repubs are doing this completely on their own volition and because it is a super pac Kucinich has no control over it. From what I understand he can really not do much more than to publicly denounce their unsolicited support.

[MadHound]

6. Probably the same reason that business friendly, moderate Republicans support Obama

It is the way politics work in this country, various interests try to buy influence with candidates on both sides of the aisle. However I seriously doubt that this Texan's efforts to buy influence with Kucinich will have more success than the success already achieved by business friendly Americans' efforts to buy influence with Obama.

[w8liftinglady]

10. Thank you guys for providing some insight.

I,of course,worked in the 2008 primaries to get Kucinich on the ticket for President,so I'm a little partial. Thanks for letting me know the facts.

[EC]

11. Well, on Dylan Rattigan's show today they (the tps) said they

were backing Dennis because he was the one that wasn't bought by the government or the corps. Believe or not, I haven't decided...those guys always have hidden agendas. (the tps I mean)

[Curmudgeoness]

12. Gut instinct tells me that

they think he can be beat easier in the general election.