Three former GOP congressmen host fundraiser for democrat at home of GOP fundraiser, ‘government will find solutions’ says former NRCC leader in support of democrat

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11/14/13, “Ex-NRCC Chairman to Raise Money for Democrat in New York,“ Roll Call, by Emily Cahn

“Three former GOP congressmen, including former National Republican Congressional Committee Chairman Thomas M. Reynolds, will co-host a fundraiser for Democratic Rep. Brian Higgins next month, according to the Buffalo News.

The New York Republicans — Reynolds, plus former Reps. Jack F. Quinn and Amo Houghton — will co-host the Higgins fundraiser on Dec. 16 at the home of GOP fundraiser Anthony Gioia.

“The message I want to convey is Congressman Higgins has done a darn good job for Buffalo and Western New York, and it doesn’t matter whether he’s a Democrat or Republican, he’s a congressman and, in doing his job as a congressman, he’s done a fine job for our community,” Reynolds said in a Thursday morning phone interview.

As chairman of the NRCC, Reynolds sought to defeat Democrats and ensure that Republicans maintained control of the House. Reynolds led the GOP committee in 2004 and 2006. Democrats won the House majority for the first time in more than a decade in the 2006 cycle.

Reynolds retired from the House in 2008, after 10 years in that chamber. He expressed frustration with the current gridlock in Congress.

“I believe that representatives also need to govern, and it’s important that while everyone in Congress is entitled to express their views, I still think the founders looked at the fact that 

there is an expectation

that the government will find solutions
 
to the challenges at hand,” Reynolds said of his support of a Democratic member.

First elected in 2004, Higgins represents a strong Democratic district. President Barack Obama carried the 26th District with 64 percent in 2012.

Higgins is currently running unopposed and had $455,000 in cash on hand as of the end of the third quarter. The Gioia-hosted fundraiser is expected to raise a six-figure haul for Higgins, according to the Buffalo News.

New York’s 26th District is rated a Safe Democrat contest by Rothenberg Political Report/Roll Call."

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"Correction: 12:29 p.m.

An earlier version of this article misstated how long Reynolds served in the House. He retired in 2008, after serving for 10 years.”

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Comment: It’s fine if Republicans prefer Democrat views. They simply need to file paperwork and immediately change their party affiliation to democrat. The US currently has only one functioning political party, ie the democrats. A country with only one functioning political party is a dictatorship.


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