Occasionally over the past few weeks, I have received phone calls or emails asking me about a rumor going around that Ash Madia was (gasp!) a Republican in college.
I am continually amazed by people who refuse to support good DFLers because they used to be Republicans. We should welcome converts, not shun them. I mean, c’mon, how else are we going to grow our party and win elections?
The hyper-partisanship that spawns this “once a Republican, always a Republican” mentality is not only bad political strategy, its bad for the country. It assumes an unbridgeable partisan gulf, or, to borrow from a certain former Senator from North Carolina, “two America’s” - one blue, one red, and never the twain shall meet.
Anyway, the rumor broke out into the blogosphere today when Michael Brodkorb published a couple of posts “exposing” Madia’s previous affiliations with the GOP. As an aside, I have to admit that I am tickled by the series of recent Brodkorb posts revealing that some DFLers used to be Republicans. I think Michael’s blog is becoming an authoritative history on the decline of the Republican moderate.
I wanted to give Ash an opportunity to defend himself against the scurrilous charges leveled against him and I just received this email from the Madia campaign. It’s kinda long, so some of it is after the jump.
Today, a Republican blog noted that I volunteered for John McCain for President in 2000 in an attempt to question my Democratic credentials.
I want this election to be about our country’s future, rather than about my past. However, if people are curious about my political evolution, here is my response.
When I was younger, I considered myself to be a moderate Republican, and I volunteered for John McCain in the race for President in 2000.
But even back then there were signs that I wouldn’t be a Republican for long. In 2000, a student newspaper wire service reported the following when they interviewed me at a Bill Bradley for President rally:
“Noting that he would work for the Bradley campaign before he would work for Texas Gov. George W. Bush, Madia said he believed it’s never too late for a committed candidate to make a run for the finish. ‘Bill Bradley has so much integrity, he has so much heart, I wouldn’t count this race over until he withdraws from it,’ he said.” (“Younger voters still stick by Bradley,” by Michael Gannon, March 3, 2000, Medill News Service/Y Vote 2000, University Wire.)
Then, in the election season of 2002, when the Republicans stampeded the Iraq war resolution through Congress and shamefully attacked Sen. Max Cleland, I left the Republican Party for good and began to consider myself a Democrat. I haven’t looked back since.
In 2004, I was one of the few Marine officers I knew who voted for John Kerry for President. In 2006, I volunteered on the DFL campaigns of Grace Baltich, Andy Borene, Sen. Satveer Chaudhary, and Wendy Wilde. I voted the straight Democratic ticket in 2004 and 2006.Today, I’m proud to be seeking the DFL endorsement as I run for Congress in the 3rd Congressional District. I’m proud to seek that endorsement because the Democratic Party best represents my personal views.
*My party, the Democratic party, believes in fiscal discipline. In contrast, President Bush has led our nation to the largest budget deficits in history.
*My party, the Democratic party, believes in civil liberties. In contrast, President Bush has led an appalling assault on civil liberties, whether through condoning torture, spying without warrants, or holding people without charges or lawyers.
*My party, the Democratic party, believes in keeping government out of people’s personal lives. In contrast, President Bush persecutes the LGBT community through attempts to pass a Constitutional amendment to outlaw gay marriage, by maintaining “Don’t ask, don’t tell,” and generally by using the LGBT community as a political football to boost the turnout of the GOP base on Election Day.
*My party, the Democratic party, believes in seeking knowledge through science. In contrast, President Bush silences government scientists who try to talk about global warming and shuts down research into stem cells.
*My party, the Democratic party, believes that the best way to protect America’s interests is by working with other nations to solve the problems facing us. In contrast, President Bush’s aggressive unilateralism has created a nightmare in Iraq, alienated our traditional allies, and isolated the United States from the international community.
*My party, the Democratic party, believes that our government must do more to ensure that all Americans have access to health care. In contrast, President Bush vetoed health insurance for children and continues to side with insurance companies and pharmaceutical interests in blocking real health care reform in this country.
Ideally, rather than rely on labels, candidates for office could go issue by issue and tell people exactly where they stand, rather than trying to capture a range of complex policy stances in a few words.
But if anyone needs a label for me, here it is: I’m a fiscally responsible, socially tolerant Democratic veteran committed to providing opportunities for every American to live their dreams.
I am running for Congress because I believe that we have to end the Iraq war responsibly, expand access to affordable healthcare, renew the federal government’s commitment to education, balance the budget, address global warming in a way that spurs our economy, and safeguard our constitutional freedoms.
If you have any questions about where I stand on the issues, I encourage you to visit www.madiaforcongress.com or email info@madiaforcongress.com.
Sincerely,
J. Ashwin Madia
DFL candidate for U.S. Congress
I have no problem with someone crossing over to another party — none. I had no problem with Norm Coleman doing it. I had no problem with Joe Lieberman doing it. And I have no problem with either Madia or Hovland doing it.
I want to know where a candidate stands TODAY. Not where they stood during a different era of their life, or where they stood relative to a party that may have shifted one way or another.
While Madia’s email makes it sound like he left the party largely because of one person (Bush), many whom I know have moved from Republican to Independent or Dem because of the broader, more fundemental rise of the social conservative agenda. That wasn’t such a focus when we were being served by the likes of Dave Durenberger and Arne Carlson.
The lack of fiscal restraint, as the candidate also points out, has been disappointing but I see that as a temporary lack of leadership vs. a fundamental shift of the party.
what about the LTEs to the Strib labeling him a homophobe? the GOP does not need RINOs …good ridance
Ashwin Madia has already responded to the letter that “john” is referring to. It was in the Minnesota Daily, and it made false claims about Madia’s views on the LGBT community.
You can read Ashwin’s response at this link and below:
http://www.mndaily.com/articles/2007/11/05/72164303
Letter to the Editor of the MN Daily
Nov. 5, 2007
“A response”
I write in response to Brandon Lacy Campos’s letter in Thursday’s Daily in which he reminisced about old political battles and described me as “virulently homophobic.” Some name-calling comes with the territory of running for office, but other names are so beyond the pale that they demand a response.
I am not, and have never been, a homophobe. I was particularly upset by this phrase given my strong progressive positions on LGBT issues.
During my time in MSA, I tried to have an inclusive leadership style and was proud that I had supporters from many different communities at the University - including the LGBT community. In fact, political adversaries of mine described my supporters and governing coalition as a “motley crew” of liberals, moderates and conservatives. I took pride in the broad based support of my administration that spanned across the divides of politics, race, ethnicity and sexuality.
If Campos had asked me my views on the LGBT community prior to writing his letter, I would have told him about how, as a Marine Corps lawyer, I defended a gay Marine against the military’s bigoted and shameful “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy. I would have told him with pride about my unconditional support for a person very close to me who has recently come out. I also would have told him about my strong belief in full equal rights for all lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender Americans.
After sending his letter to the Daily, Campos contacted people within the LGBT community who actually know me to ask their views of me. After learning the truth about my position on LGBT rights, he wrote me the following in an e-mail: “I’m writing to, basically, to say best of luck with your campaign. I’ve read your Web site, and I think you will be an excellent addition to the U.S. Congress.” Campos and I have talked with each other and reconciled - I consider him a friend who is helping with my campaign. I hope that he considers me a friend as well.
Our country faces a bloody war in Iraq, spiraling budget deficits, widespread lack of health insurance, failing schools and the looming threat of global warming. We need to work together as a nation - heterosexuals and members of the LGBT community alike - to address these problems and move our country forward.
Jigar Ashwin Madia
former president, MSA
DFL candidate for Congress
John McCain 2000 was a much different republican. Hell the John McCain of 2004-2005, before he started pandering to the right, was an honest guy I liked and hoped he would run in 2008.
Ashwin sounds like he has seen the light and good for him. It is not like he worked for the gop a year ago, it was 7 years ago and not for a crazy candidate.
Hey, how about that Mark Ritchie fella?
It seems it is going to become a big story after all! The man lied and is now caught right in the middle of it and even the Star tribune can no longer hide how awful the guy is. Yet nothing here about it?? HMmmm….
“Hey, how about that Mark Ritchie fella?”
LOLOLS “big” are you the newest change the subject troll now?
Hey, how about that Scott Mcclellen fella? Did he say that President Bush was involved in lying to the American people? Yet nothing here about it. HMmmm….
Wow, that was so easy for me to do, and didn’t take much intelligence either.
I thought this post was about Madia, “Big”.
Nitro, are you able to breath well with your head in the sand? ;)
Nitro, exactly what lie did GWB tell, knowingly tell???
john, seriously, if you have to ask that question, not only are you a complete moron, but you can’t be convinced that the criminal president bush is anything but the second coming of Christ hisself. The criminal president lied to get into office and he has lied the United States into a war in Iraq that has cost the lives of 4000 soldiers and displaced 4 million Iraqis. He has lied about his treasous disclosure of CIA covert operative in the march to war. This president has corrupted the democratic process in this country so badly, we have become a pariah nation. You are to fault john. You and your support of this regime has turned this country into the largest fascist regime this world has ever seen. Great, if you’re into that whole fascist empire scheme. Not so great if you have an iota of patriotism.
If Bush didn’t know he was lying, then there are serious questions about his ability to effectively lead.
He should have known.
Your constant free pass for Bush is very old. Perhaps your party would be more popular if you didn’t defend the man consistently without fail. He is human and makes mistakes….lots of mistakes. More bad decisions and mistakes than the leader of the free world should make, but his guiding light is, and always will be, devisive politics.
Your past hubris prevents you righties from admitting that, doesn’t it.
what lies did he tell to get us in to war??.. what lie did he tell to get into office?? I must have missed that one.. i do not give a whit about the popularity of “my” party, I have no party, just an ideology, right wing, yes, Richard, at least we are not a Communist nation, yet, BTW Valerie Wilson was NOT covert, more lies spewed by the Moonbats, that is such a non story, I do believe GWBs ability to lead has already been proven, he has lead us for 6 years, a strong economy, no terror attacks, so what if 50% of Americans are too stupid to know any better
Back to the point of the posting. I’d say this is a sign of Madia’s seriousness. Brodkerb is known to take massive consulting fees from candidates that he fetes on his blog; is this a sign that the MN GOP consider Madia a threat if he gets the nomination?
And this blog plays favorites based in part to which candidates there friends and blog mates are employed by. Madia might get some positive press here if he hires one of the guys who run the blog.
I think there is a scratch in your broken record. You might want to check that out. Sean
Well since you said it wasn’t your responsibility to present objective or unbiased information and John S seems concerned with that type of thing I thought he might be interested.
I was more wondering about whether there was any significance to the fact that Madia is being attacked by a guy who gets campaigns to cut him checks while he is blogging.
KH -
“Madia might get some positive press here if he hires one of the guys who run the blog.”
WTF? You are commenting on a post which praises Madia!!! I resent your false allegation.