U.S. Chamber Takes on Alabama Tea Party in House Contest
By Toluse Olorunnipa - Oct 30, 2013
The U.S. Chamber of Commerce fired an opening salvo yesterday in the battle for control of the Republican Party, endorsing a self-described “pro-business” candidate in a special U.S. House race whose opponent is backed by Tea Party groups and is vowing to “be like Ted Cruz.”
The endorsement in the Alabama contest is the chamber’s first political move since the 16-day partial U.S. government shutdown and debt-ceiling battle, which exposed a rift between the Republican establishment wing and the smaller-government movement. Cruz, a Republican senator from Texas, was the chief proponent of the ill-fated plan to link defunding Obamacare to lifting the debt ceiling and passing a government spending bill.
In reaction to the shutdown, which Standard & Poor’s estimated cost the U.S. economy $24 billion, the chamber and other business groups said they will engage in elections -- including Republican primaries -- to help candidates aligned with their economic goals.
“Absolutely we want to send a message,” Rob Engstrom, the chamber’s national political director, said yesterday after the group endorsed Bradley Byrne, 58, in Alabama’s 1st Congressional District race. “We are sending a message here today, and we will send a message in every single one of these races. Some will be in primaries, some will be in general elections.”
Early Gauge
The winner of Alabama’s Nov. 5 primary runoff will compete to fill the seat vacated by Jo Bonner, a Republican who resigned in August to become vice chancellor of the University of Alabama system. The opening provides a rare opportunity this year for each side in the Republican conflict to measure the other and score a first victory.
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http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2013-10-30/u-s-chamber-takes-on-alabama-tea-party-in-house-contest.html
