The Measure of the Man: Walt Havenstein - Granite Grok

The Measure of the Man: Walt Havenstein

Walt Havenstein

It goes without saying that you can tell a lot about a person by the political contributions they’ve made.

There are many, many candidates and political organizations (PACs) to choose from, and people obviously tend to favor those that most closely align with their passions and principles. We give our precious time and money to particular candidates and organizations, to help them win elections and further causes that match our personal goals and desires.

So, what sort of political contributions has Walt Havenstein, candidate for New Hampshire Governor, made over the years?

When they lived in Maryland, Havenstein and his wife, Judith, contributed to eight different candidates or organizations. Notably, there are two Democrats on this list (more below about that). Most notably, the Havensteins gave nearly $60,000.00 to Senator John McCain over a three-year period. I honestly cannot say which is the least deserving recipient:  McCain or the two Democrats:

McCain, John (R)  $58,900.00  2007-2010
• Republican National Cmte (R)  $7,200.00  2003-2008
• Manion, Tom (R)  $1,000.00
Reed, Jack (D)  $1,000.00  2007
Skelton, Ike (D)  $1,000.00  2010
• New Hampshire Republican State Cmte (R)  $500.00
• Sununu, John E (R)  $500.00  2004
• Bush, George W (R)  $400.00

When they lived in New Hampshire, the Havensteins made the following contributions:

• Republican National Cmte (R)  $68,900.00
Bass, Charles (R)  $31,900.00  1999-2012
• New Hampshire Republican State Cmte (R)  $23,500.00
Bradley, Jeb (R)  $21,059.00  2002-2008
• Ashooh, Richard E (R) – fellow BAE Exec  $12,250.00
Guinta, Frank (R)  $11,000.00  2009-2011
• Sununu, John E (R)  $10,300.00  1999-2007
• Lingle, Linda (R)  $10,000.00
• Romney, Mitt (R)  $10,000.00
• Lambert, Gary (R) “Mr. RGGI”  $5,200.00
• Ayotte, Kelly (R)  $5,000.00  2009-2014
• Bush, George W (R)  $4,500.00
• Gregg, Judd (R)  $4,300.00
• Hunter, Duncan D (R)  $2,650.00
• McCain, John (R)  $2,500.00
• Fimian, Keith S (R)  $2,400.00
• Smith, Bob (R)  $2,250.00
• Oklahoma Leadership Council (R)  $2,100.00
• Republican Party of Idaho (R)  $2,100.00
• Republican State Cmte of Massachusetts (R)  $2,100.00
• Vermont Repub Federal Elections Cmte (R)  $2,100.00
• Regardi Chema, Mike (R)  $500.00
• National Republican Congressional Cmte (R)  $207.00
• Hutchinson, Tim (R)  $250.00

Update 7/14/14: You’ll notice that some of the dates of the donations from Maryland addresses actually overlap with donations from the New Hampshire addresses.  Which begs the question: Which State does Walt Havenstein really call home? (when he’s not running for office, that is)

That’s a lot of cash to Main Street Charlie, who is probably sitting in a living room somewhere, cursing Annie Kuster under his breath as he tries to answer the Daily Double.

Regarding the contribution to Democrat Jack Reed.  Reed is a US Senator from Rhode Island.  He attended the USMA at West Point, graduating in 1971.  He earned his Ranger Tab and was an 82nd Airborne paratrooper.  So far, not too shabby.  Aside from his active duty, Reed also attended Harvard University, receiving his Master’s in Public Policy.  He later attended Harvard Law School, earning his JD in 1982.  Ok, getting a little worse.  He was elected a State Senator in 1984, became a Congressman in 1990, and a US Senator in 1997.  In the end, you might say, with his background, Reed is likely a “Blue Dog” democrat, fiscally conservative but maybe a little socially liberal.

On the contrary, Reed, from the pathologically “Progressive” hamlet of Rhode Island,  was Liberal enough to be on Obama’s Vice-Presidential, Secretary of Defense, and CIA Director short lists.  Blue Dogs don’t get Hillary-level considerations like this.  Reed is a big supporter of labor unions and for increasing the minimum wage.  He supports affirmative action, is pro-choice, against Artic oil drilling, pro-amnesty for criminal aliens, against border security, and his gun control positions earned him an “F” rating from the NRA.  This is the absolute worst type of Liberal Democrat – a military guy who should know better – especially with gun control – which makes me sick to my stomach.  This is the type of politician Walt Havenstein actually decided to write a check to.

My instincts about Havenstein, even before I did this research, are confirmed by what I write here.  I see large sums of money going to Party apparatchik – names like McCain, Bass, Ayotte, Sununu, Gregg, Bradley, and Romney.  And I see some money going to Democrats.  What this pattern of donations shows is that Havenstein is an insider’s Republican, not a true Conservative by any stretch.  He gives to the insiders and homesteaders and wants to become one of them.  His BAE CEO position makes him the perfect crony-capitalist and his donations set the table even further.  His governorship would be more of a smoke-filled backroom, full of inner-circle deals for his friends (and likely for some enemies) than a place of ideas and a sensible, transparent, youthful governance that Andrew Hemingway has the potential to create.

When is the Republican Party going to stop this insanity, bringing unlikeable, back-patting, grinning cronyists to the podium, instead of solutions-oriented candidates with solid principles, who will effectively implement and communicate the principles of Conservatism?

If you are planning to support Walt “Those Teabaggers” Havenstein, simply because you worked for him at BAE and thought “he was a good boss”, or you figured, since he’s the establishment’s candidate, he has a better chance of winning – think again.  If you consider yourself  Tea Party, fear the vapidity of today’s establishment Republican Party, despise growing crony-capitalism, or just want the Constitution to be your Governor’s first priorities – not his insider network – you should consider meeting Andrew Hemingway, to see why he’s the better choice in this primary…and the better choice for New Hampshire.

Sources: OpenSecrets.org, NHJournal.org, WMUR

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