Republicans never learn

...................................................................................................................................................................
Congressional Candidate Makes Exact Same Disastrous Error As Mitt Romney
By Josh Israel, September 24, 2014

In 2012, Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney’s presidential campaign was seriously damaged when Mother Jones posted a bootlegged video of him at a fundraiser telling donors that the 47 percent of the nation that pays no federal income tax would vote for President Obama because they are “dependent upon government.” Though Romney lost Nevada by more than 6 points on Election Day, one of his endorsers has resurrected the controversial strategy.

In a video posted Tuesday by the Nevada Democrat Party, Assemblyman Cresent Hardy (R), who is the GOP nominee against first-term Rep. Steven Horsford (D) in Nevada’s 4th Congressional District, endorsed Romney’s comments and said the problem is actually worse today. Asked about the concern that we are “not that far from the tipping point, where the private sector is gonna be able to support the federal sector,” Hardy responded, “Can I say that without getting in trouble like President… err, Governor Romney? The 47 percent is true. It’s bigger now.”

Watch the video:


At least two of Hardy’s highest profile supporters, Nevada Senator Dean Heller (R) and Governor Brian Sandoval (R) were among the many Republicans to distance themselves from Romney’s 2012 remarks. Neither immediately responded to a ThinkProgress inquiry about their reactions to Hardy’s statement.

Beyond being impolitic, the 47 percent claim was highly misleading. The bulk of those paying no federal income tax are working poor (who still pay federal payroll tax, and state or local sales taxes, gas taxes, and excise taxes), senior citizens, and students. As of 2011, just 7 percent of the country was non-elderly and had no federal tax liability, and most of them made less than $20,000.

Hardy has taken some other notable stances. At a meet-and-greet last Thursday, he reportedly “blamed women, minorities and young voters for problems in the United States by electing President Barack Obama.” He later said the remarks were taken out of context.

He has also been vocal about his opposition to LGBT equality. In February, the Las Vegas Sun quoted him explaining is anti-LGBT views. He vowed he would “always vote against same sex marriage because of my religious beliefs, the way I was raised.” He also said he would oppose the Employment Non-Discrimination Act because “continuing to create these laws that are what I call segregation laws, it puts one class of a person over another.”

In May, Hardy boasted on his campaign Facebook page that Mitt Romney endorsed his candidacy.

The 4th district is about 4 points more Democratic, on average, than the rest of the country and the House Republican’s campaign arm has targeted the seat as “competitive.”

Hardy is not the first 2014 candidate to land in hot water over comments embracing the 47 percent language. In July, a 2010 video surfaced of Colorado Republican gubernatorial nominee Bob Beauprez complaining to an audience of Rotarians that 47 percent of Americans pay no taxes, so “we’ve got almost half the population perfectly happy that somebody else is paying the bill, and most of that half is you all.”
...................................................................................................................................................................