On May 2, 2014, Rep. Richard Hanna asked Republican voters listening to WIBX to review his record and decide who to vote for in the June 24th NY Primary, which without a Democrat running is effectively the congressional election.
I took his advice, and this is what I found:
- Since 2010, Rep. Hanna has passed 2 commemorative coin Bills, and named a post office (from 2011 to present).
- Every other Bill that Rep. Hanna has created since 2011 is dead in the water with no significant support from Dems or Republicans – including the non-partisan Bill to give reservist who died serving our nation at war gravestones.
Going no further, that raises the question of just how effective Rep. Hanna is in Congress. But moving on… Rep. Hanna is also ambivalent, and flip-flops, on a lot of major issues.
According to the record, he has taken both sides on restricting the NSA. He has said he opposes abortion, but voted to support late-term abortions. He supports STEM jobs for Americans but is pushing to give 160,000 STEM jobs to foreign students instead of American students.
But what does Rep. Hanna do when it really matters?
- He has also attacked the alternatives provided by Republicans since 2011.
So with just a cursory view of Rep. Hanna’s record, I conclude:
- Rep. Hanna has justified his rating as the 3rd most Liberal Republican in Congress (he calls himself a moderate).
- His talk of the benefit to constituents from his support for Democrats and their issues does not exist.
- He actively supports issues that his constituents oppose.
- Rep. Hanna supports a “bandwagoning” approach to his work in Congress – he says and does almost nothing until he can safely jump on the winning side of an issue, regardless of constituent opinion.
When I look at the record, I see a New York City Democrat on the Upstate NY Republican ballot. I see someone who is either ineffective in the job, or otherwise inconsiderate of representing the voters that elected him.
Thus I support Assemblywoman Claudia Tenney. Because she is the only consistent, accountable, voice of voters in the NY 22nd Congressional race.
But don’t take my word for it.
Follow the request of Rep. Hanna and actually look at his record yourself. Then ask yourself, are these votes and public comments reflecting the core values of the Republican Party? Is this action, and inaction, representing your values in Congress?
Then go vote in the NY 22nd congressional district primary for Congress on June 24th.