ABQjournal: Wilson Record a Maverick Streak, Not GOP Buckin’ By Michael Coleman, Of the Journal
[Congressional Quarterly]’s study shows that [Rep. Heather Wilson,] the Albuquerque Republican, who frequently describes herself as independent, has voted with House Republican leadership the vast majority of the time over the past five years.
Wilson’s also a pretty reliable vote for President Bush, the magazine found.
In 2001, Wilson voted with House Republican leadership 94 percent of the time, according to CQ. The following year, in 2002, that number dropped to 90 percent. In 2003, the number edged up to 91 percent, then dropped to 79 percent in 2004 and then 82 percent last year, in 2005.
CQ also found that Wilson doesn’t buck the president quite as much as she and her campaign handlers might like us to believe. Starting in 2001, CQ found that Wilson voted in support of Bush’s stated positions on issues 88 percent of the time. In 2002, she supported the president 90 percent of the time, in 2003 her support level was 89 percent, in 2004 it was 88 percent. Only in the last year, 2005, did Wilson put some serious distance between herself and Bush, voting on his side of issues just 70 percent of the time. …
The mostly moderate [mjh: and mostly Democratic] 1st Congressional District voters will be the ultimate judges of whether Wilson reflects their views this fall, when she squares off against her Democratic challenger, New Mexico Attorney General Patricia Madrid.
ABQjournal: Letters to the Editor
Wilson a Rebel With GOP’s OK
I FOUND IT quite amusing that you depict Rep. Heather Wilson as a moderate, both in an editorial and in the editorial cartoon. … I don’t think you can find a single instance of where one of her votes against the party line was a vote in the majority. Wilson is allowed to show her independence only when it won’t affect the outcome of the partisan charged vote. It’s time for a change and some honest and representative government.
HENRY ROSOFF
Albuquerque
Rep. a Liberal in GOP Clothing
I HAVE BEEN a Republican in good standing since World War II. I am 81 years old and have been a contributor to the Republican Party. Rep. Heather Wilson’s voting record has troubled me, and I accepted it as what she felt was right. After seeing the article in the Journal, I understand why Wilson is a moderate— good name for a liberal— and not a Republican.
In the upcoming election, I will not vote for Wilson nor will I vote against her. I just hope she is able to gather some left-leaning liberals to fill in the gap. I am disappointed with her and the fact she claims to be a Republican when she is actually a liberal.
GENO A. TERAMO
Albuquerque
[mjh: WTF and LOL!]