HBO’s 5 Questions … w/Phil Hardy

• DFO: What exactly is the Idaho Republican Victory 2010 campaign about?
• Phil Hardy (Idaho Republican Victory 2010 director): The word “Victory” campaign is a designation Republican Party uses every campaign. We haven’t had a victory campaign with staff here before. Victory and Idaho Republican Party is synonymous.
• DFO: Are you focusing on a specific race?
• Phil Hardy: Absolutely, it’s the 1st Congressional District race.
• DFO: At this point, that race for Republicans seems like an uphill battle?
• Phil Hardy: I think that’s the general impression for those who don’t necessarily follow politics that closely. This is such a solidly Republican district that we feel once we let voters know who real Republican is, we’ll have very few people to convince to vote for Raul Labrador. Rather, it’ll always be an uphill battle for Democrat to win 1st Congressional District.
• DFO: What do you make of the $1M advantage Walt Minnick has in terms of warchests?
• Phil Hardy: I have this vision in my head that the people of this district have been so well educated that a vote for Walt Minnick is a vote for Nancy Pelosi. That every time (Minnick) runs a TV ad for himself, it’s going to remind voters that they need to vote for Raul Labrador.
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• DFO: Has the Idaho Republican Party been taken over by the Tea Party wing?
• Phil Hardy: It’s not the Tea Party people who have taken over. The state of the country has become such that more people than ever want to get involved in the political process. What we see is a lot of new folks coming in. Someone used the phrase that I’m going to use now: Regressive is the new progressive. In my lifetime, I can’t remember people going back to the federalist papers and the Constitution and reading this stuff. Perfect case in point is the 10th amendment. Over last year, I’ve been forced to read the 10th amendment. It’s in the bill of rights. Framers were pressured to come up with Bill of Rights to get the Constitution passed. Either we repeal (the 10th amendment) or enforce it and these people are asking these questions.
• DFO: How can Idaho Republicans support repeal of the 17th amendment?
• Phil Hardy: I go back to the phrase regressive is progressive. People want to go back to what framers originally constructed. They’re looking at it and wonder if that’s a better way to go. It’s a fascinating question. It’s amazing that we’re even talking about it.
• DFO: A Coeur d’Alene Press poll that’s currently running shows that their readers believe that the Idaho Republican Party is in terrible shape. What do you make of that?
• Phil Hardy: My first question would be how many of those guys identify themselves as Republicans? Maybe this is a time of evolution in the party. I’m enthusiastic re: how much people are thinking. Some of the ideas are pretty fragrant. But I’m happy to be involved in a party that isn’t just a social club. These are people who want to make a difference in their state and country.