Skip Murphy made the following observation and asked the following question earlier today:
It is nice to see (courtesy of Pindell) that both Bill O’Brien and DJ Bettencourt have endorsed Jack Kimball for NH GOP Chair. As a Member to the State Committee, I certainly will be voting for Jack.I thought this, however, a bit strange to see in Pindell’s post:
But what is probably the most significant development here is the simple fact that the party is not coalescing behind Bergeron who for weeks was the only candidate in the race and was building up support.
A reflection of Sununu trying to anoint his successor backfiring (and not just tied to his pick being Bergeron)?
PLEASE READ ON….
I responded as follows:
No Skip, it’s not a question of "backfiring" or anything like that with respect to Sununu’s support of her.On the contrary, it is this: The Republican Party consists broadly of two groups these days, "movement conservatives" or "liberty Republicans" or "liberty activists" on the one hand, and the "Main Street" or establishment" or "old guard" Republicans on the other. These two groups are not opposed to each other, they’re just broadly different categories, and they tend to come to their GOP political activism from from somewhat different backgrounds. But they’re both united under the banner and wide tent of the GOP (both in NH and elsewhere).We often see, and will probably often see in the future, candidates for various offices coming out of and being supported by one or the other of the two groups. Bill O’Brien was supported by the liberty activists, Gene Chandler was from the "old guard." As soon as O’Brien won, he appointed Chandler as part of his leadership team. Charlie Bass was "old guard" while both Jennifer Horn and Bob Giuda were "movement conservatives." Charlie won the primary, whereupon Jennifer Horn immediately endorsed him and brought him together with groups of liberty Republicans.Bergeron comes out of the "old guard" while Jack Kimball is a liberty Republican. With the endorsements of O’Brien and Bettencourt, the liberty Republicans are obviously coalescing behind Kimball for the chairmanship. Bergeron, having been endorsed by outgoing chairman Sununu, and coming out of the "establishment Republican ranks" (and there’s nothing wrong with that), will tend to be supported by the GOP old guard or establishment ranks. I don’t find anything particularly wrong with Juliana Bergeron, and wish her the best, especially since she’s a loyal Republican; but as a member of the GOP state committee I will enthusiastically support Jack Kimball for the chairmanship because I think we need a liberty Republican activist at the helm, and Jack has shown himself to be a stirring leader. Just what we need now, in my opinion.So that’s where I stand, and why. —Tim Condon