Former Arizona Sheriff Richard Mack is running for U.S. Congress in Texas’ 21st district as a Republican. He is scheduled to speak at a Lincoln Day dinner in Idaho next month. Mack’s history of participation with other political parties has become an issue for 14 members of the Kootenai County Republican Party, who wrote a letter to their Central Committee Chairwoman regarding the selection of Richard Mack as a speaker. An excerpt from the letter is quoted below:
“Mr. Mack has been presented to us as a former Sheriff and a Republican candidate for Congress. Upon further research, it is quite evident that Mr. Mack’s support of the Republican Party and Republican Party candidates is inconsistent, intermittent and questionable. He does not appear to have ever shared the common goal of promoting the Republican Party and our Republican candidates. In fact, Mr. Mack’s political history has shown a consistent opposition to the Republican Party and a strong affinity to other political parties, including the Democrat, Libertarian and Constitution Parties.”
Coeur d’Alene Press recounts Mack’s electoral history:
“Mack served two terms as a county sheriff in Arizona as an elected Democrat, and made an unsuccessful third run for sheriff as a Democrat.
He then made an unsuccessful run for election to a sheriff’s position in Utah, as a Republican.
Mack later ran for governor in Utah as a Libertarian, and then for the Senate in Arizona, also as a Libertarian.”
The Spokesman-Review has a blog post about the subject as well as a link to the complete text of the letter.
10 responses so far ↓
1 Thane Eichenauer // Feb 23, 2012 at 12:50 am
If I lived in Texas I would find his affinity to obeying his oath of office far more appealing than any particular political label he happened to select. I have every reason to believe that come primary day in Texas that the vast majority of people in the Republican Party will do some research and discover that Richard Mack is a worthy person to vote for.
2 RedPhillips // Feb 23, 2012 at 12:01 pm
This is the kind of rank partisan tribalism that drives me nuts.
“He does not appear to have ever shared the common goal of promoting the Republican Party and our Republican candidates.”
Well maybe if your party and your candidates had been more consistently constitutionalist he would have you bunch of hacks.
3 NewFederalist // Feb 23, 2012 at 12:32 pm
What stupid bastards!
4 Gene Berkman // Feb 23, 2012 at 4:20 pm
Periodically things like this become an issue in Republican politics.
In 1986 Dick Randolph ran for Governor of Alaska in the Republican primary. He had previously served in the Alaska legislature first as a Republican then as a Libertarian. He ran for Governor in 1982 as a Libertarian, and this became an issue in 1986.
The Republican National Committee almost adopted a rule to ban state Republican organizations from helping candidates who switched to the Republican Party, specifically inspired by Randolph’s campaign. Then it was pointed out that such a rule would prevent Republican Parties in the south from welcoming defecting Democrats like Phil Gramm, and the rule was tabled.
5 Chaz // Feb 23, 2012 at 8:00 pm
I live near his district and I support him for Congress no matter his party label. I’ve always prided myself on the independent label, but recently registered for LP. I’m working with Mack’s campaign and his record as Sheriff standing up for his Oath of Office and standing up for everyone’s 2nd Amendment rights is more than enough for me to support him. I have minor disagreements with parts of his platform, but when I spoke with him he respectfully disagreed and showed respect for my ideas as well. He is a good person and I believe the right person to replace Lamar Smith who is likely the single most anti-liberty member of Congress.
6 ok, though... // Feb 24, 2012 at 7:06 am
consistently constitutionalist
such a thing exists only in each person’s mind.
7 Cody Quirk // Feb 24, 2012 at 6:01 pm
You get the same sort of BS with Ron Paul.
Assholes.
8 Cody Quirk // Feb 27, 2012 at 1:07 am
BTW, Richard Mack will be a guest speaker at the IAPN state convention in Carson City, NV.
For more info-
http://www.iapn.org/conventions.html
9 LibertarianGirl // Feb 27, 2012 at 10:05 am
Love ,love , LOVE me some Richard Mack . I have a signed copy of the book he wrote with Randy Weaver , and have had many opportunities to spend time with him . In my fantasy , he becomes Sheriff of Clark County and cleans house ….hey a girl can wish….
10 Cody Quirk // Feb 28, 2012 at 5:17 am
You better make it up to Carson City this weekend then.
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