Minnesota Republican Joe Repya, a 30-year Army veteran - including service in Iraq in 2005 when he was 58, a one-time candidate for MN state party chair in 2007 (he lost), wrote an op-ed in this morning's Twin Cities.com (Pioneer Press) in which he announced he is quitting the party:
[w]hy on Earth have I decided to leave the Minnesota GOP?
Simple: When a political party becomes so dysfunctional that it no longer can operate without tyrannical domination over the grass-roots, it is time to stop enabling bad behavior from that party. I have come to the conclusion that a majority of Minnesotans and many Republicans no longer trust the message of the Minnesota GOP.
"[T]yrannical domination" ??? Wait, it gets worse (or better):
On June 13, the party continued its death spiral by electing the same failed leadership that has lost the last two elections. The "old guard" network of the GOP State Central Delegates continued to imitate lemmings gleefully following each other over the cliff to the political abyss below.
In my opinion, the new party leaders are rabid, power-hungry ideologues and the former attack dogs of the previous party chairman. They will not provide a message of inclusiveness or willingness to discuss contrary opinions. Honest, open and transparent party operations will not exist.
Who is this guy?
I've been elected to two National Republican Conventions, acted as a military spokesperson for the Bush/Cheney campaign in 2004, and served as national veterans coordinator for Fred Thompson's presidential run.
Quoting from Repya's blogspot:
Joe also served as the Minnesota Co-Chairman for Veterans for Bush-Cheney 2004. Joe, already a veteran of Vietnam and Desert Storm, returned to active Army duty in 2004—at the young age of 58—and served in Iraq in 2005 with the Screaming Eagles of 101st Airborne Division. Upon returning in October 2006, Joe volunteered and traveled all over Minnesota to help Governor Tim Pawlenty win his reelection.
Now, Repya was talking about the Minnesota GOP. But he could just as easily have been talking about the national party - and note that he never mentions the national party, even though by resigning from the state branch he ipso facto resigns from the national.
And who do we have on the national scene? Palin and Romney:
Palin took the lead in terms of popularity within the party, with 73% of Republicans giving her a favorable rating.
Among the general public, however, Palin was found to be a particularly polarizing figure. The Alaska governor's rating among all voters was split nearly in half: 45% favorable versus 44% unfavorable.
According to the poll, Mitt Romney is the second-most popular GOP figure. He received a 57% favorability rating among Republicans and among the general public, a 40% rating. HuffPo
Also Gingrich at 55%. And of course, El Lardo. Meantime, the party as a whole is at 25% popularity nationwide - less than Dick Cheney.
I'm not calling Repya a rat - he does seem to be an honorable man - but he's sure fleeing a sinking ship.