Issues – Not Party – Reason to Support Congressional Challenger, Resident Says

Dear Editor,

If you peal away all the layers of an onion, what's left? The Republican party has pealed away its support from its conservative base by reelecting time and time again, the same old moderate congressman. These Congressman imbed themselves in Washington D.C., not to represent the interests of their constituents, but instead, to represent crony capitalists, and vote to advance Barack Obama's agenda, while increasing their net worth.

In this case, Congressman Leonard Lance, who campaigns like a conservative at election time, but votes like a liberal, Democrat during his term. According to "Heritage Action for America," who keeps score on how congress votes on conservative issues, Rep. Leonard Lance only votes 49 percent of the time for conservative causes. 

Moreover, Rep. Lance voted with Barack Obama three times to raise the debt ceiling to fund the Affordable Care Act, and with it, the erosion of religious liberty and mandated funding for abortion. Notwithstanding Rep. Lance's mailers, paid for with tax payer dollars, proclaiming his pro-life record, Rep. Lance is pro-choice. Rep. Lance is a dues paying member of Republicans for Choice, a political action committee comprised of moderate and liberal Republicans who support legalized abortion.  

Rep. Lance's positions on the issues go against the core principles of the Conservative base of the Republican party. There's nothing there for Conservatives to vote for, and for those reasons it shouldn't be a surprise to my friend Bill Wolgamouth that Mr. Larsen won't support Mr. Lance if he wins the election. And it shouldn't matter, unless that is, Bill had already made up his mind who he was supporting beforehand. With that said, I greatly understand and appreciate what Bill is saying about party unity, however, Mr. Larsen should be supported based on his positions on the issues, not on who he will hypothetically support in the general election.

Tomas Lotito
Washington Township