Waco Man Sees Moderate-Conservative Clash Looming

2010: the year of decision - Socialism or Republicanism?

Talk to congressional candidate Rob Curnock, a former sports
anchor from Waco, and you get it both barrels.

It's a contest between moderate politics and conservative
values in his runoff race with Bill Flores to get the
Republican nomination and oppose Democrat Chet Edwards to
represent Congressional District 17, he says.

Has he ever seen this nation in as ugly a mood as it is
today? For instance, the year 1968 comes to mind.

"I think we're at the crossroads. We can either go down the
road to Obama socialism, or we can stay with our
constitutional republican form of government...Chet Edwards
is driving the car down the path to Obama's socialistic
agenda with (U.S. House Speaker) Nancy Pelosi.

The choice is between big money, corporate money, and home
town conservative values, he says. It's his third race in
the district trying to unseat Mr. Edwards.

"The bottom line in this race is moderate and conservative
and it's starting to widen out." He gestures with his hands,
showing a divergence of paths - left and right.

How about the Democratic crossover vote, something pundits
and pollsters are pointing to that spells a clear signal
that the computer software models are indicating a four to
one split in the moderate-conservative confrontation.

"This is a moderate Washington insider coming in to buy the
election...where we are trying to elect who we want. We
don't appeal to moderates. We appeal to conservatives."

He swears up and down that election commission records show
that Bill Flores donated to the Kay Bailey Hutchison
campaign. "That's why Rick Perry is a little upset with
him.

"It's conservative versus moderate. This guy shows up in
July of 2008, I mean..." His voice trails away. Then he
starts up again. "A lot of McIntyre people are coming over
to our side."

The rumor mill is smoking hot about an alleged "voters'
guide" distributed by the Democratic Party in the
Bryan/College Station area.
The story is that the document showed Kay Bailey Hutchison
as the crossover choice for Governor and Bill Flores for
U.S. Representative in the Republican Primary.

Problem: No one seems to have a copy of the "voters' guide."
No one seems able to put their hands on it.

"You won't hear me publicly state it," he says.

Moderate powers that be are advocating a Flores face-off
with Chet Edwards because "He'd get killed by Chet Edwards.
He cannot beat Chet Edwards. He'd be an easy guy to beat."

Is he aware that the other camp is saying the same thing
about him?

"They're playing politics. He - he voted in the Democratic
Primary for Hilary Clinton."

How about earmarks?

"I'm absolutely against it...Earmarks will destroy this
country. Chet Edwards has made his living off earmarks."

On Wednesday, Democrats in the U.S. House of Representatives
agreed to ban all earmark funding to private, for-profit
companies. The entire House Republican conference on
Thursday went a step further and said their members wouldn't
seek any earmarks this year, including for nonprofit
organizations such as academic institutions.

The A&M University System has received at least $230 million
in such funding since 2004, according to information
provided by Democratic U.S. Rep Chet Edwards' office. That
dollar figure could be much higher than that when you take
into account the budgetary earmarks arranged by other
Senators and Congressmen.

"Eliminating all earmarks would be devastating for A&M
research ... and would cause a loss of hundreds and hundreds
of jobs in Brazos County," said Representative Chet Edwards.
"I believe we should reform and reduce earmarks and wasteful
projects, but we should not throw out the baby with the bath
water."

Mr. Edwards is a graduate of A&M, as is Mr. Flores.

What about term limits?

He is familiar with the popular internet appeal to limit
Congressional and Senatorial terms, or combinations thereof,
to a total of 12 years, he says.

"I'm not running for the office because I need the job.
This is my home. I'm not in this to get into the inner
circle in Washington."

What about gun owners' rights to keep and bear arms under
the Second Amendment?

"There's only a five to four (Supreme Court) decision
standing in the way of socialistic takeover...If
conservatives won't fight, it won't work. I'm ready to
fight. I'm telling you, I'm a conservative."

Does he have anyone on staff doing opposition research?

"Not really. Not really. I'm not a negative campaigner. I
can't do it."