Gilchrest hit hard for wanting troop withdrawal plan

Republican Rep. Wayne Gilchrest has had conservative critics for years and yet survived primary challenges from the right wingof his party in recent elections.

But it was his April vote on a funding bill for the Iraq war, sponsored by Democrats and setting benchmarks and timetables for withdrawal, that most infuriated conservatives, especially since he was one of only two Republicans to back the measure. It was vetoed by President Bush and fired up the most serious challenge to his nine-term incumbency.