Everything about The Club For Growth totally explained
The
Club for Growth is a
501(c)(4) political organization and an affiliated
political action committee that raises money for candidates who support a low-tax and limited-government agenda. The group claims over 40,000 members.
In the
2002 Congressional races, 17 out of 19 candidates endorsed by the organization's PAC won. It also endorsed
Mark Sanford in the South Carolina gubernatorial Republican primary. He defeated Lt. Gov.
Bob Peeler.
In
2004, the Club for Growth's PAC caused a stir within the
Republican Party by endorsing and heavily supporting
U.S. Representative Pat Toomey, who challenged incumbent
Senator Arlen Specter in the Republican
primary in
Pennsylvania. The organization was reported to have collected contributions totaling over $934,000 for Toomey. It also spent $1 million on its own independent television advertising campaign on Toomey's behalf. Toomey barely lost the race against Specter, 51%-49%, due in large part to President Bush, the RNC, and Sen. Santorum all supporting the incumbent. Afterwards, Toomey accepted his current position as President of the Club for Growth.
The club invented the "RINO Watch" list to monitor "Republican office holders around the nation who have advanced egregious anti-growth, anti-freedom or anti-free market policies." (RINO is an acronym for
Republican In Name Only.) The list has focused on Republicans who voted against tax changes and budget cuts supported by the Club.
In addition, the Club for Growth also makes independent expenditures encouraging certain moderate Republicans to vote more conservatively (for example, running ads against Senators
George Voinovich of
Ohio,
Olympia Snowe of
Maine, and
Lincoln Chafee of
Rhode Island after these Senators objected to certain aspects of
President Bush's tax cuts).
On
September 19,
2005, the
Federal Election Commission filed suit against the Club for Growth for violations of the
Federal Election Campaign Act for failing to register as a political action committee in the
2000,
2002, and
2004 congressional elections. In September, 2007 the Club for Growth agreed to pay $350,000 in civil penalties. The agreement, if approved by a federal judge, would mark the end of the lawsuit.
2006 election
After a good deal of electoral success in 2004, the Club continued its policy of supporting candidates conforming to its ideology for federal office, especially during contested primaries. Freshmen U.S. Congressmen
Adrian M. Smith (R-NE),
Doug Lamborn (R-CO),
Bill Sali (R-ID), and
Tim Walberg (R-MI) all won their heavily contested primary elections in large part because of the Club's involvement. In fact, Rep. Walberg defeated moderate incumbent Republican Congressman
Joe Schwarz in the August 2006 Michigan primary. Schwarz was backed by Pres. Bush, Sen. McCain, the
NRCC, and almost all of the state's Republican establishment. The Club for Growth criticized Schwarz for a number of liberal views on fiscal issues including his votes against the elimination of earmarks in appropriations bills and his support of higher taxes while in the Michigan Legislature. He was the only incumbent Republican congressman defeated in a primary that year.
The Club was also able to boast of successfully supporting the reelection of Democratic Congressman
Henry Cuellar (D-TX) in a heavily fought race against liberal former Congressman Ciro Rodriguez.
The most high profile race of the year for The Club was their support of conservative
Cranston, Rhode Island mayor
Stephen Laffey against liberal incumbent Senator
Lincoln Chafee. Chaffee was able to hang on for a 54% to 46% victory in large part because of Democrats that crossed over to vote for him and the aid of Sen.
Elizabeth Dole and the
NRSC, President Bush, and the rest of the party's establishment in Rhode Island.
2008 election
The Club strongly supported state senator
Andrew P. Harris in his successful primary campaign for Maryland's 1st congressional district against incumbent Republican congressman
Wayne Gilchrest. Despite some polls and predictions that Gilchrest would survive, on the Feb. 12th primary Harris surged to a strong 44% to 32% victory. Gilchrest is the second incumbent Republican to be defeated by a candidate supported by the Club. The first was Rep. Joe Schwarz in Michigan in 2006.
For the 2008 election cycle The Club has also endorsed the following candidates and is raising money for their campaigns.
The Club is also supporting the reelection campaign of Congressman
Tim Walberg in Michigan's 7th district, and
Doug Lamborn in Colorado's 5th district.
In Mississippi's 3rd Congressional District, The Club endorsed Charlie Ross, a former state senator, for the position being vacated by the retiring Chip Pickering. Ross however was defeated in a primary run-off election.
The Club endorsed, but didn't raise funds for, Matt Shaner in Pennsylvania's CD 5 (being vacated by Rep. John Peterson). Shaner finished a close 3rd in the April 22, 2008 primary.
The Club endorsed Woody Jenkins for Louisiana CD 6 being vacated by Rep. Richard Baker. He was defeated on Sat. May 3, 2008 by Democrat Don Cazayoux by a 49% to 46% margin. The Club made no mention of his defeat on their website.
The Club backed State Sen. Steve Scalise in his May 3, 2008 victory for LA CD 1 (vacated by Gov. Bobby Jindal.)
The Club was also critical of Mike Huckabee, using funds from backers of Mitt Romney to attack him as the "tax-increasing liberal governor of Arkansas" . Huckabee, in turn, has referred to the Club for Growth as the "Club for Greed."
Further Information
Get more info on 'Club For Growth'.
|
External Link Exchanges
Do you know how hard it is to get a link from a large encyclopaedia? Well we're different and will prove it. To get a link from us just add the following HTML to your site on a relevant page:
<a href="http://club_for_growth.totallyexplained.com">Club for Growth Totally Explained</a>
Then simply click through this link from your web page. Our crawlers will verify your link, extract the title of your web page and instantly add a link back to it. If you like you can remove the words Totally Explained and embed the link in article text.
As long as your link remains in place, we'll keep our link to you right here. Please play fair - our crawlers are watching. Your site must be closely related to this one's topic. Any kind of spamming, dubious practises or removing the link will result in your link from us being dropped and, potentially, your whole site being banned. |
