From Domenico Montanaro at MSNBC:In a look ahead to the 2009 and 2010 elections, Govs. Mark Sanford (R-SC) and Haley Barbour (R-MS) hammered the Obama administration for what they described as out-of-control taxing and spending.
In a conference call with reporters, both reacted to what Sanford called the "This way or no way" stimulus relief. Sanford, chairman of the Republican Governors Association, criticized the many federal mandates and called for a "military model" that "is all about giving local authority to local commanders because their eyes and ears are on the ground.". . . Barbour and Sanford said that by listening to grassroots, Republicans stood a good chance at winning the 2009 gubernatorial elections in both New Jersey and Virginia.
Barbour said "people are cranked up... we have very high quality candidates... you see it in the grassroots... very, very upbeat." Sanford added, "These races are going to turn on policy."
In an effort to expand the implications of these races, he drew a parallel to 1993 when Christine Todd Whitman in New Jersey and George Allen in Virginia won the governor's mansions back from Democrats because Sanford believed that President "Clinton overplayed his hand." Republicans regained majorities in both houses of Congress and state houses a year later.
Barbour and Sanford trusted that Republicans in 2010 in Congress and on the state level would build upon victories in 2009. Sanford said Republicans were building "stronger state parties."
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