Akin Not Quite Crazy Enough For Everyone In CD2

Liz "Edgy Conservative" Lauber announced her campaign to challenge Todd Akin in next August's GOP primary for the 2nd Congressional District. Lauber previously worked for Dick Armey in the House, and Dick Armey's FreedomWorks astroturf organization (when it was called Citizens for a Sound Economy), and is promising to provide primary voters with a "clear choice" next fall.  As posted by the Post-Dispatch's Jake Wagman:

“My opponent won a narrow primary victory in 2000 and has not faced a tough general election campaign. After what will be ten years in office for my opponent, I intend to mount a competitive race to give voters a clear choice,” Lauber said in a news release. “Todd Akin calls himself a ‘conservative with a soft edge,’ and I consider myself ‘an edgy conservative.’”

Like Chuck Purgason, Lauber is hoping to capitalize on discontent with the GOP leadership in Washington.

In her release:

“America resoundingly rejected ‘Hillary health care’ and yet here we are again,” Lauber said. “And lest you think that I am only holding President Obama responsible, let me add that many career Republicans, including my worthy opponent, had their chance to craft an affordable and accessible solution when they controlled Washington,” Lauber said.

More:

I am running for the U.S. House of Representatives because I believe that the principles of fiscal responsibility and putting our nation's safety first have been lost in the day-to-day partisan struggle in the halls of Congress. I will win this election with the support of the second congressional district because we hold this belief to be true.  Together the "Show Me" state will show Congress that our voice does make a difference.

I'm a little perplexed about how anyone could think Todd Akin is a wimpy conservative, but it should be fun to watch Lauber and Akin try to out-right-flank each other.

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Lauber's announcment release: 

Liz Lauber Announces Campaign For Mo-2 House Seat:
Campaigning For Job Creation, Fiscal Accountability,
And A Resounding ‘No’ To Government Run Health Care
 

St. Louis, MO -- Today Liz Lauber announced she is running for Congress in Missouri’s second congressional district, which consists of Central and Western St. Louis County, Lincoln, and parts of St. Charles County. She will square off against incumbent Todd Akin in the primary.

“My campaign is focusing on the core principles of limited government that make us proud to be the party of Lincoln,” said Liz Lauber. “As unemployment rates in St. Louis, St. Charles, and Lincoln Counties have risen to 9.6%, 8.8%, and 12.2% respectively, career politicians in Washington skirt around the economic crisis we are facing and instead allow a $900 billion dollar health care plan to take center stage,” Lauber said.

“America resoundingly rejected ‘Hillary health care’ and yet here we are again,” Lauber said. “And lest you think that I am only holding President Obama responsible, let me add that many career Republicans, including my worthy opponent, had their chance to craft an affordable and accessible solution when they controlled Washington,” Lauber said.

“As a Republican, it saddens me to say that the previous Administration and the Republican Majority in Congress lost their way and helped contribute to today’s economic crisis,” Lauber said. “Although the American people are rightly angered and disappointed in the Obama/Pelosi/Reid Washington power grab, we as Republicans must demonstrate that we are worthy of their support,” Lauber said.

Lauber next addressed the over-arching issues her campaign will tackle during the next few months.

“Enacting policies that support job creation and getting this economy moving is a top priority,” Lauber said. “We need to create a sea change in Washington. I am calling for an overhaul to the failed regulatory and legislative policies that led to this bad economy,” Lauber said.

Central to Lauber’s campaign are also the issues of reducing runaway government spending, lowering America’s tax burden, and maintaining a strong national defense.

“My opponent won a narrow primary victory in 2000 and has not faced a tough general election campaign. After what will be ten years in office for my opponent, I intend to mount a competitive race to give voters a clear choice,” Lauber said. “Todd Akin calls himself a ‘conservative with a soft edge,’ and I consider myself ‘an edgy conservative,’” quipped Lauber.

“The good news is that together the “Show Me” State will show Congress that our voice does make a difference,” Lauber concluded.

With her announcement, Liz Lauber unveiled her campaign Web site at www.LizLauberForCongress.com, where she provides visitors with more information about her campaign.

 

Liz Lauber for Congress opinion editorial: Achin’ For A Change

“I am announcing my candidacy for the second congressional House seat in Missouri because we are achin’ for a change. My opponent, Mr. Akin, has served his time, and my goal is to run a campaign that respects his past effort even as I submit to the voters that we need to spark a new era based on bedrock principles.”

“I know the impact Washington has on us right here in the St. Louis area. Times are tough. The unemployment rates in St. Louis, St. Charles, and Lincoln Counties are 9.6%, 8.8%, and 12.2% respectively.”

“As the nation and the world has witnessed, the subprime meltdown has resulted in a global economic crisis. Why do we skirt around the edges with words like ‘downturn’ or ‘situation’ or a ‘depressed, economic climate that will rebound in two quarters, or four, or six?’ We’re not going to solve our problems until we face that we have them.”

“How many of us have seen stores close in our towns, or hear our neighbor is out of work? Do we want to sit back and hope Washington changes its ways as they hold hearings and search to assign blame?”

“The simple point is that as the blame game continues, nothing gets accomplished. The fear many of us in the second district are feeling - whether it be for the financial well-being or education of our children, or fear of losing our homes or that our retirement savings have been severely reduced - is very real. Although some relief measures have been enacted, they are small in scope. We must do better at creating new laws that work and stopping bad legislation -- such as the $900 billion dollar (over the next ten years) attempt by the federal government to take over health care in America”.

“We need to re-examine our budget priorities and do the right thing. The future of Social Security and Medicare depend on Congress making responsible decisions now. Instead of making a change here, and a change there, we need to examine what programs work and create efficiency in government to support them. If we accomplish this, we will all win.”

“I’m Liz Lauber and I’m running for Congress because we are achin’ for a change.”