Carney rejects Republican conversion offer, says he was surprised

BY BORYS KRAWCZENIUK (STAFF WRITER)
Published: December 30, 2009

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Democratic U.S. Rep. Chris Carney said Tuesday he never did anything to encourage a national Republican committee's overtures last week to get him to switch parties.

"No, not at all," Carney said. "Certainly not."

The request was all the Republicans' idea, Carney said.

The overtures included phone calls to Carney two days before Christmas by Arizona Sen. John McCain, the office of Sen. Lindsey Graham, a South Carolina Republican and close friend of McCain, and Rep. Pete Sessions of Texas, the chairman of the National Republican Congressional Committee. The NRCC supports the party's House candidates.

"I'm definitely not switching," Carney said.

His statement was more definitive than a statement issued by his office last Wednesday. The statement quoted him saying he had "no plans to change parties."

Carney, a Naval Reserve commander, said Republicans probably chose McCain, a former Navy admiral, to call him because of the Navy connection.

"There may be something there," he said. "They see that I vote fairly often very moderately and on issues of national security I will vote against my committee chair and things like that. And they felt that 'Perhaps Carney is one we could get.'"

Carney said he was in his Clarks Summit congressional office when Sessions called his private cell phone. As he listened to Sessions' pitch to switch, McCain called the cell phone and left a message, which he returned. Graham's office left a message, too. Carney said he never returned Graham's call and never heard again from his office.

"I was very surprised that within an hour, hour and a half of the phone call (from McCain) that there was a breaking story nationally," he said.

At the time, national Republicans were mounting a push on Democratic congressmen they might woo into switching.

The call came two days after Republican Snyder County Commissioner Malcolm Derk announced he would run for the seat and days after NRCC officials met with former U.S. Attorney Tom Marino, who is considering a run.

Carney said he found the timing "interesting," but deflected a question about whether Republicans are struggling to find a legitimate candidate to challenge him.

"I'm not sure if that's the case or not," he said. "I take every challenge seriously. So no matter who announces and who runs, we're going to work very, very hard to represent the people of the 10th district and we'll do so in a bipartisan way."

Efforts to reach an NRCC spokesman were unsuccessful.

Contact the writer: bkrawczeniuk@timesshamrock.com







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9 posted comments

You can bet that if the Republicans ever get their hooks into Carney that they will beat any ideas of bi-partisanship out of him.
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not their agenda,  01/02/10 8:27
I'd never support Carney, but he deserves credit for choosing the correct party. Praise to him for that. Now if only we could prevail upon McCain to become a Democrat, all would be well. He surely does not fit in at all as a Republican.
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Common Sense,  01/01/10 10:05
Enough; And just what did the Republicans do to address any of these important issues during their last eight years in control? The health care bill, now that it's been gutted by special interest group Republicans, will now probably do exactly as you say. Any cost saving measures were taken out to preserve insurance company profits - where the cost savings intended to make the whole thing work, were to come from. Few legislators would be able to weather the storm at home if they were to pass cap and trade, especially now in light of the mounting doubts about man's impact on climate change. And with the exception of creating jobs, I can't think of any issue that needs work more than immigration reform - again an issue ignored by the Bush administration for eight years. Doing nothing isn't an option any longer. Why do you think the voters overwhelmingly swept the Democrats into power if it was not to bring about change? I don't like where we're headed, but for the first time in many years I have a belief that we are on the road to something better. Under Republican leadership I always expected things to get worse each year for those of us in the middle and lower economic classes, and my expectations were always met. Now I expect something better, and I'm willing to give them a chance to deliver.
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time will tell,  01/01/10 9:36
Seek the truth, good advice please follow it . You should have been paying attention to both the House and Senate votes on Health care, Cap& trade and Immigration reform.
House voted Nov 7,2009 Dem 219 yes, 39 no/ Republican 1 yes, 176 no. Health care passes in house for all no matter the cost. Senate vote December 24,2009 Dem 69 yes Repub 39 .The bill passed thanks , to the Democrats health care for all no matter what the cost.
Cap & Trade House vote June 26,2009 Dem 211 yes 44 no/ Republican 8 yes 168 no bill passes House. Senate has not voted yet on Cap & trade,but I see large support by senate democrats again no matter what the cost. Illegal Immigrants reform which was narrowly defeated in 2006 will once again be addressed in both the house and senate in 2010 with Obama ,Pelois and Reed in bed with SEIU. The Defense bill,cash for clunkers,bail out for banks,wall street, Stimulus 1,2,and soon 3 attempting to spend us out of debt(lol) all voted for or and signed into law by Obama.
While you might not know any democrats or republicans that want these things their seems to be a bunch in Washington that do and don't care what us the people want
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Enough is enough,  12/31/09 3:49
Enough is enough, Interesting, nobody I know, Democrat or Republican, wants those things you mention. For the most part those are things that right wing talk show hosts say the Dems. want, so they can keep the pot boiling. It's all a ploy to continue the divisiveness. The truth is out there, but you have to look for it. You don't do your party any favors or further their agenda through dishonesty.
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seek the truth,  12/30/09 4:54
Glenn, No Republican could have won last year, and McCain, as an elder statesman made a good figurehead to throw under the bus. At least they didn't waste somebody with a future. If he had any prayer at all, he lost it when they saddled him with Palin. We've never been told the truth about who picked her, but you can bet your car it wasn't McCain. He might not have a lot left, but he's not senile. I have to echo Sue's thought. Wouldn't a dose of bi-partisanism be refreshing? Marginalize the radicals in both parties and get the centrists in both parties to work together. The divisiveness has gotten us nowhere through eight years of Bush and one year of Obama. Time for a little teamwork. If Carney or anybody else will show me a true effort to work together with the other party, they will get my vote and my support. I will work against any candidate who refuses to do so.
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center right,  12/30/09 4:42
I just want to thank Carney too, stay with the party who wants to turn us into Europe. Stay with the party that wants to spend our tax dollars for health care for all no matter what the cost. Stay with the party that wants cap and Trade,The party that wants all Illegal immigrants made US citizens again no matter what the cost. We do not need another RINO. So please Mr Carney stay a Democrat. No more RINO Please
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Enough is enough,  12/30/09 3:05
If anyone needs to change parties it's John McCain! He's a sorry excuse for "Republican" and he surely doesn't "get it" that we don't want him after he lost the election last year! Hit the road McCain!
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Glenn,  12/30/09 9:35
Thank you Rep. Carney. Bipartisan, a goal for 2010.
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Sue A,  12/30/09 7:24