Rednecks cost the GOP

As reported in Hotline, a Florida GOP Representative offered up his opinion on why Republicans lost their majorities in both houses of Congress two weeks ago:

"White rednecks" who "didn’t show up to vote for us" partly cost GOPers their Congressional majorities, Rep. Adam Putnam (R-FL) told fellow Republicans today.

Three Republicans in the room independently confirmed to the Hotline the substance and context of Putnam’s remarks. But Putnam’s chief of staff insists that the remarks were taken out of context.

Putnam's chief of staff, John Hambel, said his boss has used the word "redneck" only in the context of sharing polling data from last week’s elections. Hambel said Putnam was listing off different constituencies and ended with saying: "Heck, we even had rednecks who go to church who didn't come out to vote."

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How great is that? I laughed my ass off when I read this; 1. because it might be true, and 2. I'm constantly reading about how Republicans are courting minorities, specifically African-Americans and Hispanics.

I can only hope that Republicans will have Putnam spearhead their Congressional election effort in 2008.