 |
Conservatives coined the term RINO to describe Republicans who campaign as conservatives, then legislate as liberals.
Whether a Republican officeholder or candidate qualifies as a RINO, Republican in Name Only, somewhat depends upon who you ask. There is no “dictionary definition” for RINO that would be universally accepted by all conservatives.
Well hold on for just a minute. . . While there is no “dictionary definition” it’s virtually certain that all conservatives and Republicans would agree that these two Livingston County candidates would easily fit even the strictest definition of the term RINO.
Annette Koeble
Ms. Koeble is running for Hamburg Township Trustee as a Republican. Her primary election is August 2, 2016.
An examination of Ms. Koeble’s political contributions show she is a frequent Democrat donor. During the period March 2006 through April 2015 she contributed 26 times to Democrats and not once to Republicans. During this period, she gave nearly $2600, with her largest contribution of $500 made directly to the Livingston County Democrat Party.
(To view Ms. Koeble's political contributions visit the Michigan Secretary of State website for campaign contributions. Scroll down. Then under the section titled Contributor Information enter Koeble in the field for last name and Annette in the field for first name.)
It is worth noting that Ms. Koeble is not just your average every day citizen who happens to contribute to Democrats. As a leader in her local party, she served as the Treasurer of the Livingston County Democrat Party.
In addition to being the Democrat Treasurer, she ran under the Democrat banner for Hamburg Trustee in 2010. Her Facebook page for her 2010 Trustee election was still posted online as of May 16, 2016.
There are four other individuals running for Hamburg Township Trustee in the August 2 Republican primary. There are a total of four Trustee positions up for grabs. The four other Republican candidates are Deb Kwapisz, Chuck Menzies, Jim Neilson, and Bill Hahn. An analysis of their campaign contributions show none have contributed to Democrats.
There is not a contested Democrat primary as only one candidate is running. Dan Luria, the only Democrat candidate will be running against the "Republicans" in the November general election. Like Ms. Koeble, Mr. Luria has contributed only to Democrats and not to Republicans. Mr. Luria has made 34 contributions to Democrats for a total of $1659.
Knowing that Livingston County is heavily Republican, Mr. Luria must know that running as a Democrat hurts his chances of winning. Mr. Luria should be commended for having the courage of his convictions and running as a true Democrat, rather than taking the stealth route and running as a Republican.
Polly Skolarus
Ms. Skolarus (R) is currently the Clerk of Genoa Township. She has served as Clerk since 1986.
While there may have been a time when Ms. Skolarus was solidly Republican, some of her Facebook postings suggest she now is more closely aligned with Democrats.
She expressed strong support for President Obama as she posted a July 2014 article from the Daily Kos on her Facebook page. That Skolarus reads the Daily Kos, a radical left-wing publication, suggests that she holds full blown liberal views.
Even worse, on April 10, 2015 Ms. Skolarus posted the following comment on Western Journalism (www.westernjournalism.com).
“It is because the Christian Republicans just don’t care what happens to the poor.”
Hmm. . . An elected official who embraces Obama and disparages Christian Republicans. Sounds like something you’d expect to hear from a liberal Democrat.
Ms. Skolarus faces a primary challenge this year from Dan Wholihan, Chair of the Livingston County Republican Party. The date of the primary election is August 2, 2016. There is nobody running for Clerk under the Democrat banner in Genoa Township. Therefore, absent a write-in campaign, the winner of the Republican primary will be the next Genoa Township Clerk.
