Liberal Republicans

[ajc0918]

Which state or area has the most liberal republicans? I was thinking, I know every state has different types of republicans, but are there any areas where liberal republicans are elected?

[memphis]

The Maine twins are all that's left, and it's increasing hard to call them liberal anymore.

[ajc0918]

The Maine twins are all that's left, and it's increasing hard to call them liberal anymore.

As an electorate, do you think Maine has the most liberal republican voters?

[freepcrusher]

there aren't many liberal republicans left. But I can tell you of Republicans in the past who have been considered such:

Thomas Kuchel (guy who replaced Nixon in the senate)
Lowell Weicker (senator from Connecticut who later became Indy)
Mike Castle At Large Rep from Delaware 1993-2010
Chuck Percy Senator from Illinois 1967-1984
Jim Leach US Rep Eastern Iowa 1977-2006
William Cohen US Senator Maine 1979-1996
Charles Mathias US Senator Maryland 1969-1986
Gilbert Gude MontCo US Rep Maryland 1970s
Connie Morella Same District Rep 1987-2002
Margaret Heckler US Rep Massachusetts 1970s
Ed Brooke US Senator Massachusetts 1967-1978
Marge Roukema US Rep New Jersey 80s and 90s
Clifford Case US Senator from New Jersey 1960s and 1970s
Jacob Javits US Senator New York 1957-1980
Mark Hatfield US Senator Oregon 1967-1996
Arlen Specter US Senator Pennsylvania 1981-2009 (switched parties)
John Heinz US Senator Pennsylvania 1977-1991
Dick Schweiker US Senator Pennsylvania 1969-1980
Hugh Scott US Senator Pennsylvania 1953-1976
John Chaffee US Senator Rhode Island 1977-1999
Lincoln Chaffee US Senator Rhode Island who later became Indy
Jim Jeffords US Senator Vermont 1989-2001 (became Indy)
George Aiken US Senator from Vermont 50s and 60s

[redcommander]

Probably Vermont, Massachusetts, or Rhode Island.

[JulioMadrid]

VT and Mass. republicans seem to be the most liberal ones.

[A cowboy always follows his beard]

Rhode Island has the most liberal Republican Party.

[sg0508]

there aren't many liberal republicans left. But I can tell you of Republicans in the past who have been considered such:

Thomas Kuchel (guy who replaced Nixon in the senate)
Lowell Weicker (senator from Connecticut who later became Indy)
Mike Castle At Large Rep from Delaware 1993-2010
Chuck Percy Senator from Illinois 1967-1984
Jim Leach US Rep Eastern Iowa 1977-2006
William Cohen US Senator Maine 1979-1996
Charles Mathias US Senator Maryland 1969-1986
Gilbert Gude MontCo US Rep Maryland 1970s
Connie Morella Same District Rep 1987-2002
Margaret Heckler US Rep Massachusetts 1970s
Ed Brooke US Senator Massachusetts 1967-1978
Marge Roukema US Rep New Jersey 80s and 90s
Clifford Case US Senator from New Jersey 1960s and 1970s
Jacob Javits US Senator New York 1957-1980
Mark Hatfield US Senator Oregon 1967-1996
Arlen Specter US Senator Pennsylvania 1981-2009 (switched parties)
John Heinz US Senator Pennsylvania 1977-1991
Dick Schweiker US Senator Pennsylvania 1969-1980
Hugh Scott US Senator Pennsylvania 1953-1976
John Chaffee US Senator Rhode Island 1977-1999
Lincoln Chaffee US Senator Rhode Island who later became Indy
Jim Jeffords US Senator Vermont 1989-2001 (became Indy)
George Aiken US Senator from Vermont 50s and 60s

You actually forgot Alan Simpson of WY of all places.

[sg0508]

A few more from Kansas:

1) Gov. Bill Graves (1995-2003)
2) Sen. Nancy Kassebaum

Nebraska

1) Sen. Chuck Hagel

Maine
1) Sen. William Cohen

California

1) Rep. Tom Campbell
2) Rep. Mike Huffington

New Mexico
1) Rep. Heather Wilson

[crypto-fascist superhero]

The better question is where there aren't liberal Republicans.

[shua]

Rhode Island has the most liberal Republican Party.

but also probably the smallest.

[I'm Not a Witch]

What exactly is your definition of a liberal Republican? I can only think of one: Lincoln Chafee. I think he was more liberal than most Democrats when he served in the U.S. Senate: he is pro-choice, supports the separation of church and state doctrine, opposes the death penalty, isn't exactly hard-line pro-War on Drugs, opposes charter schools, supports embryonic stem cell research, supports same-sex marriage, and was the only Republican in the U.S. Senate to vote against the Iraq War. He would probably get my vote over any generic Democrat any day.

I wouldn't call Sens. Susan Collins and Olympia Snowe "liberals." They are moderates, IMO.

How about posing the question of who is the most moderate-to-liberal elected Republican member of Congress from each state? I'd say from Missouri it'd be Jo Ann Emerson.

[Governor Scott]

Depends on how liberal you mean, but I suppose Scott Brown, the Maine twins, Lincoln Chaffee before he became an Independent, Chuck Hagel, Mike Castle, and Arlen Specter before he became a Democrat, and Jon Huntsman are the most moderate.  All of them have worked with Democrats on numerous occasions.

[ajc0918]

I was more referring to an electorate of liberal republicans, I suppose the northeast probably has the most.

[RIP Robert H Bork]

Which state or area has the most liberal republicans?

Massachusetts

[hcallega]

New England in general, but the issue there is that most states are plurality independent. I go to school in Massachusetts, and most people there are liberal Democrats. But the Republican tradition still exists among a small portion of voters. Many have moved on to other states, or have died. Here's a list of some prominent Bay State Republicans who are or were at the very least liberal by Republican standards.

Silvio Conte: 1st District (Western Mass) Representative from 1959-1991. Known for his anti-pork views and amicable relations with most members of Congress.

Edward Brooke: African-American Senator from 1967-1979. He was a major social liberal, leading the fight against the Hyde Ammednment in the Senate. Defeated in 1978 by Paul Tsongas, he was actually to the left of the eventual 1992 Presidential Candidate on many issues.

Scott Brown: Let's see, pro-choice, pro-labor, pro-gay rights, pro-dodd-frank. Not a liberal in the overall sense, but a liberal among the GOP ranks.

Mitt Romney (Pre-2006): Just like his dad, a liberal Republican on most issues. Definitely a pro-business, pro-growth conservative, but liberal on most everything else. Watch his 1994 Senate debate with Ted Kennedy for some laughs.

William Weld: Governor from 1991 to 1997, and a Senate candidate in 1996. Endorsed Obama and is now an Independent I believe. Pretty indicative of Massachusetts Republicans: pro-reform, pro-growth, socially liberal. More of a reaction to the big city machine politics that dominated Northeastern Democratic Party politics prior to the 1970s.

[memphis]

A better question is why on earth a liberal would belong to a virulently far-right party. Though to be fair, nearly all such liberals have finally figured out they don't belong in the GOP. We're still waiting for the yokels in Oklahoma to get a clue.

[ajc0918]

A better question is why on earth a liberal would belong to a virulently far-right party. Though to be fair, nearly all such liberals have finally figured out they don't belong in the GOP. We're still waiting for the yokels in Oklahoma to get a clue.

I'm still dealing with that myself, as I slowly lose faith with the republican party... lol
I'd prob become dem if it wasn't for Obama.

[freepcrusher]

A better question is why on earth a liberal would belong to a virulently far-right party. Though to be fair, nearly all such liberals have finally figured out they don't belong in the GOP. We're still waiting for the yokels in Oklahoma to get a clue.

yeah but the argument goes both ways. Ever heard of:

Tom Nichols
Tom Bevill
Bud Cramer
Howell Heflin
Robert Sikes
Sam Nunn
Herman Talmadge
John Breaux
Gene Taylor
John Eastland
John Stennis
Fritz Hollings
Lloyd Bentsen
Jim Turner
Ray Roberts
Olin Teague
Marvin Leath
Kika de la Garza
Omar Burleson
George Mahon
OC Fisher

[Bleeding heart conservative, HTMLdon]

A better question is why on earth a liberal would belong to a virulently far-right party. Though to be fair, nearly all such liberals have finally figured out they don't belong in the GOP. We're still waiting for the yokels in Oklahoma to get a clue.

That's a double-edged question.  The Republican Party wouldn't be so "virulently far-right", as you put it, if there were more moderates or even somewhat liberals within the tent.

I think the country's politics were much better when there were more conservative Dems and moderate Republicans to modify partisan polarization.

[Bleeding heart conservative, HTMLdon]

A better question is why on earth a liberal would belong to a virulently far-right party. Though to be fair, nearly all such liberals have finally figured out they don't belong in the GOP. We're still waiting for the yokels in Oklahoma to get a clue.

I'm still dealing with that myself, as I slowly lose faith with the republican party... lol
I'd prob become dem if it wasn't for Obama.

Ok, so if you leave.. what good does that do?  There will likely always be a two-party system in this country and a need for parties to contrast positions with one another in order to energize an electorate.  The more moderates leave the GOP, the harder the task is for the remaining moderates and responsible conservatives to provide a reasonable and rational alternative for voters.

DINO hunters can be just as viscous as RINO hunters.  Its always gonna be hard out there for those of us who judge issues individually based on logic and reason rather than always following the dogma of a particular ideology.

[ajc0918]

A better question is why on earth a liberal would belong to a virulently far-right party. Though to be fair, nearly all such liberals have finally figured out they don't belong in the GOP. We're still waiting for the yokels in Oklahoma to get a clue.

I'm still dealing with that myself, as I slowly lose faith with the republican party... lol
I'd prob become dem if it wasn't for Obama.

Ok, so if you leave.. what good does that do?  There will likely always be a two-party system in this country and a need for parties to contrast positions with one another in order to energize an electorate.  The more moderates leave the GOP, the harder the task is for the remaining moderates and responsible conservatives to provide a reasonable and rational alternative for voters.

DINO hunters can be just as viscous as RINO hunters.  Its always gonna be hard out there for those of us who judge issues individually based on logic and reason rather than always following the dogma of a particular ideology.

I'd be happy if the repubs became more socially moderate. They need to embrace more reasonable and equal stances. The younger generations aren't going to put up with their bigotry anymore, and the push to purify the party is pushing out moderates like myself.

[RIP Robert H Bork]

A better question is why on earth a liberal would belong to a virulently far-right party. Though to be fair, nearly all such liberals have finally figured out they don't belong in the GOP. We're still waiting for the yokels in Oklahoma to get a clue.

I'm still dealing with that myself, as I slowly lose faith with the republican party... lol
I'd prob become dem if it wasn't for Obama.

Ok, so if you leave.. what good does that do?  There will likely always be a two-party system in this country and a need for parties to contrast positions with one another in order to energize an electorate.  The more moderates leave the GOP, the harder the task is for the remaining moderates and responsible conservatives to provide a reasonable and rational alternative for voters.

DINO hunters can be just as viscous as RINO hunters.  Its always gonna be hard out there for those of us who judge issues individually based on logic and reason rather than always following the dogma of a particular ideology.

I'd be happy if the repubs became more socially moderate. They need to embrace more reasonable and equal stances. The younger generations aren't going to put up with their bigotry anymore, and the push to purify the party is pushing out moderates like myself.

[Communists For McCain]

A better question is why on earth a liberal would belong to a virulently far-right party. Though to be fair, nearly all such liberals have finally figured out they don't belong in the GOP. We're still waiting for the yokels in Oklahoma to get a clue.

I'm still dealing with that myself, as I slowly lose faith with the republican party... lol
I'd prob become dem if it wasn't for Obama.

Ok, so if you leave.. what good does that do?  There will likely always be a two-party system in this country and a need for parties to contrast positions with one another in order to energize an electorate.  The more moderates leave the GOP, the harder the task is for the remaining moderates and responsible conservatives to provide a reasonable and rational alternative for voters.

DINO hunters can be just as viscous as RINO hunters.  Its always gonna be hard out there for those of us who judge issues individually based on logic and reason rather than always following the dogma of a particular ideology.

I'd be happy if the repubs became more socially moderate. They need to embrace more reasonable and equal stances. The younger generations aren't going to put up with their bigotry anymore, and the push to purify the party is pushing out moderates like myself.

Yeah I agree.  If anything the GOP doesn't need to become more socially moderate, it should become more socially libertarian.

[Governor Scott]

A better question is why on earth a liberal would belong to a virulently far-right party. Though to be fair, nearly all such liberals have finally figured out they don't belong in the GOP. We're still waiting for the yokels in Oklahoma to get a clue.

I'm still dealing with that myself, as I slowly lose faith with the republican party... lol
I'd prob become dem if it wasn't for Obama.

Ok, so if you leave.. what good does that do?  There will likely always be a two-party system in this country and a need for parties to contrast positions with one another in order to energize an electorate.  The more moderates leave the GOP, the harder the task is for the remaining moderates and responsible conservatives to provide a reasonable and rational alternative for voters.

DINO hunters can be just as viscous as RINO hunters.  Its always gonna be hard out there for those of us who judge issues individually based on logic and reason rather than always following the dogma of a particular ideology.

I'd be happy if the repubs became more socially moderate. They need to embrace more reasonable and equal stances. The younger generations aren't going to put up with their bigotry anymore, and the push to purify the party is pushing out moderates like myself.

You appear to be more of an Independent/Libertarian than a Republican.