Republicans are going fishing for more party-switching House Democrats, the Politico reports — with the latest target being second-term Pennsylvania Rep. Chris Carney, who received a phone call from Sen. John McCain himself.
Senate Republicans are also reportedly receiving a list of party-switching targets in the House.
“I just said, ‘Whatever you do, I know that you’ll make right decision for the country,'” said McCain. Carney is also being courted to switch by Pennsylvania GOP Rep. Bill Shuster. Carney was elected in 2006 by a 53%-47%, defeating a scandal-plagued Republican incumbent. He was re-elected by 56%-44% in 2008, at the same time as McCain carried his district by 54%-45%.
If someone were sitting down and making a list of obvious targets in the Democratic caucus that Republicans could court, Carney wouldn’t be at the top of it. He voted for the House health care bill this past November, which surely wouldn’t endear him to the conservative GOP activist base. However, a House Republican told the site that they’d gotten “a nibble” from Carney, whatever that means. Politico also reports: “A source familiar with the call [with McCain] said that Republicans thought Carney may be susceptible to McCain’s entreaty because, like the senator, the 50-year old House member served in the Navy.”
A Navy background makes for a Democrat becoming a Republican? How about they try Admiral Joe Sestak next?
