Editor’s note: The Merced Sun-Star has joined the Sacramento Bee, Nevada County Supervisor Nate Beason, Placer County Supervisors Jennifer Montgomery and Jim Holmes in endorsing Art Moore for Congress rather than Tom McClintock. The Sun-Star’s editorial is here:
“It’s no secret that the mountain areas of California are more conservative than the Valley and far more conservative than the coast. That’s why, in running against opponents from the Democratic Party, Rep. Tom McClintock has thrived in the mountainous 4th Congressional District.
“This year, though, there is no Democrat in the race. And that means McClintock might actually face a challenge. At least we hope so.
“McClintock is one of the most conservative members of the U.S. Congress. He’s so right-wing you can’t even blame him for the Capitol’s dysfunction; no one expects him to compromise. On anything.
“McClintock has become so rigidly conservative that he was one of only four members who voted in lock-step with the tea party group Freedom Works for three years running. That might make McClintock feel righteous, but it also marginalizes him. It’s no way to govern.
“Most people expect their government to work for them. But McClintock can’t even bring himself to support President Barack Obama’s efforts against the Islamic State, misreading the president’s statement in a way that seems to grant the religious fanatics an actual territory and that will surely anger moderate Muslims. In his statement, McClintock worries that anyone we arm in opposition to the Islamic State might weaken the murderous regime of Syria’s dictator, Bashar Assad. Is he a fan?
“Such thinking should be more worrisome to conservatives than to liberals – who are against any military action in the region. Regardless of what liberals might wish, we’re likely to be involved in this conflict at least until the immediate threat has been incapacitated. We need someone who isn’t blinded by disdain for any policy with Democratic support.
“That’s why we’re endorsing Republican Art Moore for the 4th Congressional District, which includes all of Tuolumne and Mariposa counties and parts of seven others. He has conservative credentials and, even at age 36, a far keener understanding of the world in which we live. The Auburn native went to West Point and then served 14 years in the military, rising to the rank of major. He spent 30 months overseas, including tours in Iraq and in the Sinai, earning a Bronze Star. If Moore wins, he would be one of roughly 20 Middle East veterans in Congress.
“Instead of ideologues, Congress could benefit from having someone among them whose boots have actually been on the ground.”
The rest of the article is here.
Jeff Pelline's Sierra Foothills Report 
Makes me all giddy inside.
Go Art Go!
Send him a contribution to his campaign if you wanna see Tom GONE.
Although I really dislike prop 14 this Moore/ McClintock race is exactly why I think Steve F. supports it. McClintock in a total safe republican district can no longer alienate moderate republican voters and expect to win because we know damn sure Democrats and left leaning independents will not vote for him.
Overall top two primaries worsens the money problem and shuts out voices of independent candidates. Washington state has top two primary and their % of he/she who spends the most money wins is worse than closed primaries and open general elections. Both % are in the 90’s but it goes from low 90’s to mid 90’s with top two primary implemented.
The real answer is IRV, Public Financing, and Capped Campaign Spending but we are a long way off from anything like that getting through the D’s and R’s in Sacramento. In fact prop 14 takes us further away from such solutions.
A respected group of local “electeds” (including Republicans) and regional newspapers aren’t supporting McClintock. That’s telling.
Just a clarification, I support experimenting with IRV, public financing and campaign spending caps. I also supported Prop 14 as a means of getting us closer to that while creating more competition within the parties. I still stand by the point I made in my early exchange of comments with Ben regarding party politics that the constitutional system we have in place creates the conditions where two parties are almost inevitable. Anything we do to break that is a good thing, but in the mean time we must govern, so working within parties is also inevitable.
Steve,
What is going on in prop 14 is exactly why you said you supported it. It does happen but not very often. Only in extremely gerrymandered districts can the Moore/ McClintock scenario work out and even then it won’t happen to often. I know you support those other things but my comment wasn’t a knock on you but rather humble pie on my part that in this particular race prop 14 is working.
In case you wanted to know, here are the McClintock ballot recommendations: http://www.tommcclintock.com/blog/mcclintock-ballot-recommendations-0