any of you guys notice how in 2006

[freepcrusher]

despite being a sh!tty GOP year how a lot of republican incumbents retired and were replaced by people well to the right of them. I'm thinking of guys like Mike Oxley, Henry Hyde, Mark Kennedy, Joel Hefley, Butch Otter, Bill Thomas etc.

[Napoleon]

The GOP's still increasing conservatism is what made 2006 such a bad year for them. It wouldn't have happened if they hadn't been moving that way for a few cycles already.

[minionofmidas]

Henry Hyde was replaced by someone to the right of him? I didn't think there was room to Hyde's right. Hefley was a flakey, Flake/Paul sort of guy. Actually so is his successor - but they don't like each other in the slightest. I forget who Oxley and Thomas were; true about Kennedy and Otter of course.

[freepcrusher]

Henry Hyde's lifetime ACU score was 82. He wasn't that bad. Roskam's lifetime rating is 98.

[they don't love you like i love you]

Oxley was some boring dude from Ohio. Jim Jordan is his successor.

[freepcrusher]

Oxley was some boring dude from Ohio.

He authored one of the most well known pieces of legislation to date. Boring he wasn't.

[TJ in Oregon]

Yes, Jordan is much more conservative than Oxley was. In fact, he's been named the most conservative representative in the country a few times. Jordan is one of those "let's default" Tea Party types I generally disagree with. But he's also a very very good politician and was kept through redistricting despite his little fight with Boehner for the simple reason that no one wants to run against him, no one.

And of course, the Democratic Party has also moved to the left in recent years too. This is a game for two.

[tpfkaw]

The idea that the Republican Party is somehow so much more right-wing now is absolutely laughable.  Even ignoring their record, take the time to read through the 1996 Republican platform and explain how that's so much more "moderate" than they are today.

[they don't love you like i love you]

Oxley was some boring dude from Ohio.

He authored one of the most well known pieces of legislation to date. Boring he wasn't.

Oh yeah Sarbanes-Oxley. A very important piece of legislation no doubt, though I wouldn't say well known outside of accounting circles. And his only notable things, Sarbanes too was a pretty boring guy as well.

[Southern Senator North Carolina Yankee]

Henry Hyde was replaced by someone to the right of him? I didn't think there was room to Hyde's right. Hefley was a flakey, Flake/Paul sort of guy. Actually so is his successor - but they don't like each other in the slightest. I forget who Oxley and Thomas were; true about Kennedy and Otter of course.

Bill Thomas was replaced by Kevin McCarthy. He then went directly to work as a Healthcare lobbyist.