Rep. Parker Griffith (R-AL), a congressman whose district includes NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center, decisively lost the Republican primary Tuesday to Mo Brooks. With most of the votes tallied, Brooks had 51 percent, enough to avoid a runoff next with Griffith, who was in second. Griffith was elected in 2008 as a Democrat, succeeding the retiring Bud Cramer, but last December switched parties, citing a lack of perceived support from his former Democratic colleagues in the House on defense and space issues as one reason for the switch. However, the switch caused Griffith to lose his original committee assignments, including the House Science and Technology Committee (although he has put in a few “guest” appearances at those hearings, such as last week’s hearing on NASA’s human spaceflight plans.)
Many local Republicans, including Brooks, were critical of Griffith’s party switch and a perceived lack of effectiveness. In April, Brooks said that Griffith’s “inability to work with members of Congress is a major factor in our potential loss of the (NASA) Constellation program”. Brooks said in that interview that he was opposed to the White House’s plan for NASA even though it may result in additional business for the United Launch Alliance factory in the district, citing concerns about having the private sector being in charge of unspecified “national security information”.
…”national security information”…
Another two-brain-cell loon, obviously unaware that the private sector launch companies send up highly classified, multi-billion-dollar national security payloads with monotonous regularity.
I weep for the future of the Republic.
“citing concerns about having the private sector being in charge of unspecified “national security informationâ€.”
the GOP far right always ready to jump on the “national security” bandwagon with few specifics…
gee
Robert G. Oler
Another two-brain-cell loon, obviously unaware that the private sector launch companies send up highly classified, multi-billion-dollar national security payloads with monotonous regularity.
And unaware that the Shuttle hasn’t been involved with national security missions since the eighties.
There is nowhere to run, nowhere to hide for party turncoats. A party purge is healthy.
“the GOP far right always ready to jump on the “national security†bandwagon with few specifics…”
And it never fails to work…
A Parker Lewis Can’t Lose reference? Well done.
G Clark wrote:
Another two-brain-cell loon, obviously unaware that the private sector launch companies send up highly classified, multi-billion-dollar national security payloads with monotonous regularity.
Hopefully they don’t let this bozo anywhere near the House space subcommittee, should he be elected in November.
Generally election results are based on many factors; a lot of a very local nature. Even with a local space industry, I doubt the “space” issue was a major factor in the primary.
But it’s nice to make certain assumptions that will “prove: or support your viewpoint.
[…] Space Politics » Parker Griffith can lose after all […]
‘concerns about having the private sector being in charge of unspecified “national security informationâ€.’
Like the complete specifications (and how to build) the F-22, the software of the F-35, the optical design in Keyhole-and-later spysats, the formula for Radar Absorbent Material and processes for its production…
The only production “national security information” I can think of that isn’t offered to private industry on a classified and compartmentalized basis is nuclear weapon design–and that’s just the physics package.
I think Mo Brooks has been quite a good servant of North Alabama and of the community’s aerospace industry. To take one quote and formulate an opinion of the man is so typical. Critical thinkers the lot of you.
[…] Democrats for NASA as one of the reasons for joining the Republicans. Griffith, though, lost in the GOP primary in June 2010 to Mo Brooks, who won the general election in […]
[…] according to nearly-complete returns. The primary was a rematch of the 2010 Republican primary, when Brooks defeated Griffith, who won the seat in 2008 as a Democrat but switched parties in late 2009. The two candidates […]