Four Republicans who want to unseat Rep. Wayne Gilchrest in the 1st Congressional District left the nine-term congressman largely unscathed Sunday as sparks flew and verbal punches were thrown in the last forum before the Feb. 12 primary.
State Senate colleagues E.J. Pipkin and Andy Harris came out swinging largely against each other, with Pipkin dramatically tearing up Harris campaign mailers as Robert Banks criticized both of them for running “the nastiest race” and for the worst campaigning he?s seen in his lifetime.
Joe Arminio attacked all four as neoconservatives ruining the country with policies that had driven down wages and ruined the country?s industrial base and farming, but his angry rants sounded more akin to the economic theories of Lyndon LaRouche.
After Arminio?s final tirade, Banks suggested to Harris, a physician, “You might want to prescribe some Xanax for him,” the anti-anxiety drug.
Even on the Iraq war, where Gilchrest?s votes with Democrats last year infuriated conservative Republicans, the congressman and his principal challengers ? except for Arminio ? seemed on the same page.
“The surge is working,” Gilchrest said. “The troops are stunningly competent.”
He said the Democratic bill he supported included a timetable for withdrawal only as a recommendation, and he said the generals believed the vote helped Iraqi religious factions understand they needed to get more control over the chaos.
On immigration, where Gilchrest has been accused of favoring amnesty, he sounded much like Harris and Pipkin, who have made illegal immigration a central attack point.
“We should not be giving any rights to illegal aliens,” Gilchrest said. “They should not be giving driver?s licenses to illegal aliens,” or in-state college tuition.
The congressman said the farm bill he had voted for “does not give a pass to anyone” but simply allows legal, temporary workers. His challengers called that a form of amnesty.
Pipkin and Harris sparred over who was in favor of smaller government and fewer taxes, but Gilchrest touted his own record voting for all of President Bush?s tax cuts and his votes to make them permanent, as Pipkin and Harris said they would do. Gilchrest made sure to mention that Bush had endorsed his re-election, though “we don?t agree on everything.”
The Gilchrest camp was clearly pleased with how things went.
“We need more debates,” said Tony Caligiuri, Gilchrest?s chief of staff, with a laugh, calling Pipkin “the front-runner challenger.”
Harris campaign manager Chris Meekins said the remark simply confirmed that Pipkin?s role was as “the spoiler” recruited by the Gilchrest campaign.
