Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich says it’s a “mistake” for Conservatives to back Doug Hoffman (C) over Dede Scozzafava (R) in the current special election in New York’s 23^rd Congressional District. This, in spite of Scozzafava’s anti-Conservative positions on abortion, same-sex-marriage, labor unions, etc. It seems that having an (R) after her name is the overriding factor for Newt in deciding to endorse Scozzafava. My fear is that the majority of those who consider themselves to be the leaders of the Republican Party may agree with Gingrich on this. If so, if they don’t hear what’s going on with Hoffman v Scozzafava as a wake-up-call, the Republican Party will miss an opportunity to return to majority that is, otherwise, being handed to them on a silver platter and will continue in minority for the foreseeable future.

In my view, what I’ve termed the “Hoffman v Scozzafava wake-up-call”, is actually an extension of the wake-up-call that is being sounded by the Tea Party movement. Perhaps Newt, et al (those who consider themselves to be the leaders of the Republican Party), think that this alarm is only intended with hopes of reaching the ears of the Democrat Party’s office holders. Certainly there are many Democrats in office who are at great risk of being voted out due to their failure to respond to this warning but it isn’t meant exclusively for Democrats. The true targets of the Tea Party movement’s wake-up-call are Career Politicians/Political Insiders who have lost sight of their role as our Representatives.

Frankly, as a longtime Conservative Republican, if I’m confronted with voting for one of two Career Politicians/Political Insiders and the only notable difference between them is that one has a (D) after their name while the other has an (R) after their name, I’ll probably vote for the (R) candidate. However, my hope is that the resounding signal of the Tea Party movement’s wake-up-call will result in my being able to back a candidate whose qualifications go beyond  that “he has paid his party dues and is next-in-line” or who fits in with longstanding party bylaws – e.g., “proving herself through campaign fund raising on her own”, etc. I’m looking for a candidate who has shown themselves to have a servant’s heart and who is running for office because they see it as their duty to take their turn serving as our Representative. Based on my acquaintance with the Tea Party movement, I’d be very surprised if these views aren’t shared by the vast majority of those who were showing up at Town Halls this past August, trying to get those who are supposed to Represent us to listen to how we want to be Represented. With that in mind, I feel compelled to state clearly that my hope and prayer is that Newt, et al, will listen to this alarm and wake up in time to take the bold steps needed to turn us from continuing the tyranny of the Obama/Reid/Pelosi sitting government.