Republican congressional candidate offers mixed view of ‘tea party’
In an election cycle when some Democratic congressional candidates have distanced themselves from party leaders, the Republican challenger in New York’s 24th district race is putting daylight between himself and the conservative “ tea party.”
“Are they all sophisticated? No,” said Republican Richard Hanna in a debate this week in Oneonta, in central New York. “Nobody said you had to be educated, sophisticated or in any way able to articulate your point of view as well as some people might like in order to have a vote.”
Hanna has courted “tea party” groups as he tries to unseat two-term Rep. Michael Arcuri in a rematch in this moderate Republican-leaning district that is among the more closely watched races this cycle.
“As long as it’s peaceful and tries to be rational — which isn’t always the case — I think it does add value,” Hanna said about the groups. “I find myself kind of in a different world when I’m there, sometimes.”
Hanna said he doesn’t always agree with the “tea party” — and senses bigotry plays a role in the movement. But he shares the groups’ frustration with Washington.
“Do I think somehow there’s some subtle bigotry combined in this? Yes. Do I like that? No. But I respect people’s right to band together and complain,” Hanna continued. “I don’t like all of it. But I think I get it.”
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