In an open Republican primary in Missouri’s 8th Congressional District, a solid conservative would beat an establishment “my turn” Republican, hands down. And the Missouri GOP would hate it.
That’s why I smell a rat. #
Would you be surprised to learn that Jo Ann Emerson and Lloyd Smith had this switcheroo planned months ago? You have to admit that the timing is suspicious:
* Emerson wins a certain re-election
* Smith announces he's stepping down as Missouri GOP Executive Director
* Emerson announces she's resigning to become Queen of Lobbyists
* Missouri's GOP Establishment breaks hips to tell reporters "Lloyd Smith's our man!"
This is exactly how the Republican establishment does things. They think the people of MO-8 are too stupid to pick the right candidate in a primary, so they make backroom deals to appoint a deal-maker for them.
Shenanigans.
If that’s what’s going on here, It’s disgraceful. Missouri’s 8th deserves better, but I’ve heard from sources that Emerson waited to announce her resignation until Smith was confident he had the votes among 8th District Republican committeemen and committeewomen to cost into the job.
You think Lloyd Smith tats will be the rage at SEMO next semester? #
I’m sure Mr. Smith is a good guy. I have nothing against him as a person, and I’m sure he’s done some good for conservatives in his career.
I’m also pretty sure it’s his turn. Just like it was Mitt Romney’s turn. And John McCain’s. And Bob Dole’s. And Gerald Ford’s.
America doesn’t need the next guy in line, and the GOP can’t afford another me-too, milquetoast faceless name in Congress.
At a time when the GOP desperately needs to energize some young people and excite its conservative base, I find it unfathomable that anyone would even mention Lloyd Smith.
Energy? Leadership? Charisma? Action? Accomplishment? #
As Missouri GOP’s executive director, Smith failed to flip a single statewide office in 2012 even with Romney winning 54% of the vote.
Moreover,** Smith was frozen by the Akin fiasco**, doing nothing to contain the damage. He couldn’t keep Republicans from bashing Akin, and he couldn’t get Akin to gracefully exit.
You Can’t Squeeze A Union Card Between Lloyd Smith and Jo Ann Emerson #
Smith was Jo Ann Emerson’s chief of staff. That’s about the most damning thing one can say about a Republican operative.
Jo Ann Emerson’s specialty has been handing out your tax dollars to businesses and unions who hand them back to her. How fitting that she resigns from Congress weeks after being re-elected to become a lobbyist for one of the beneficiaries of Emerson’s crony capitalism gravy train.
John Fund at National Review writes:
In her congressional career, she often shied away from stringent budget-cutting measures and privately deplored bans on earmarks. In 2011, the National Journal found that she was only the 200th most conservative member of the House.
And remember, Lloyd Smith was her chief of staff. Here’s a few more highlights of Emerson’s miserable Washington career:
* Emerson r[efused the sign a letter asking John Boehner to defund Obamacare](https://joannemersonexposed.com/2012/07/31/jo-ann-emerson-passes-on-republican-effort-to-defund-obamacare/).
* [Emerson donated to the hard left Democrat Debbie Wasserman Schultz](https://images.nictusa.com/cgi-bin/fecimg/?29934897356) as recently as 2010.
* [Emerson’s Heritage Action Score is a miserable 47%](https://heritageactionscorecard.com/scorecard/#E000172#member). She’s the lowest-rated Republican in Missouri on that scale.
So why has the liberal Emerson kept her job in a very conservative Congressional District?
**Incumbency. **
And, if there was backroom deal to replace Emerson with Smith or some other party boy, it’s because there’s no way Smith would win an open primary.
But once he’s in, he’s in for life.
I hope grassroots conservatives in MO-8 put a lot of pressure on the 80 Republican Committeemen and Committeewomen. The GOP will throw a lot of favors, offers, and promises their way to get the appointment they want.
This will be a test of whether or not the Tea Party has any clout at all in Missouri.