Rahall Running Scared
Not sure if you saw the New York Times article this morning on Obama’s upping the ante on his War on Coal, but Nick Rahall sure seems like he is running scared.
First, he started running from his vote for the Progressive Budget’s carbon tax and discriminatory treatment of the coal industry. Now, he is running away from his friend President Obama, who he endorsed and enthusiastically supported.
But while Nick may be able to run, he just won’t be able to hide from his own voting record in Washington and his unabashed support for President Obama in 2008 and 2012.
NRCC Comment: “Nick Rahall is doing his best to run away from President Obama’s avowed mission to kill the coal industry in West Virginia. Unfortunately for Rahall, he cannot hide his vote in Congress to fully implement Obama’s War on Coal any more than he can erase his glowing endorsements of Obama’s devastating ‘ideas and solutions’ for West Virginia.” – NRCC Spokesman Ian Prior
Background
Nick Rahall expresses concern with re-election prospects: Asked about the impact of the president’s climate change actions on his own re-election prospects next year, Representative Nick J. Rahall II, Democrat of West Virginia, said, “They don’t help.” (Trip Gabriel, G.O.P. Sees Opportunity for Election Gains in Obama’s Climate Change Policy, New York Times, July 2, 2013).
In March, Nick Rahall voted to increase taxes on the coal industry and impose a $20 per ton tax on carbon emissions (H CON RES 25, Vote #85, 84-327, 3/20/13).
Rahall endorses Obama in 2008: Nick Rahall said “he likes the new ideas and solutions Obama has for the nation, adding that Obama understands the needs and aspirations of West Virginians.” (“Rahall endorses Barack Obama,” Associated Press, March 6, 2008).
Rahall campaigned with Obama: According to Rep. Nick Rahall, “I happened to have been an early supporter of Barack Obama. I campaigned with him in the hills of West Virginia. And I proudly chaired the Arab Americans for Obama campaign, a nationwide group dedicated to mobilizing Arab Americans and bringing light to those issues we care about.” (YouTube.com, “Rahall, Obama and Arab Americans,” Uploaded by conservfoundwv, http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=HgMKll7cOiM, Uploaded Oct.1, 2010).
Rahall endorsed Obama in 2012 despite anti-coal policies: “I’m supporting Democrats this November, and that includes the Democratic nominee for president. It is true, [Obama’s] people need to understand coal is going to be around a lot longer than they are. But, the war on coal is coming from many fronts.” (Lawrence Messina, “W.Va. Gov. Tomblin keeping Obama at arms’ length,”