David Broder had an interesting column in today’s Washington Post about the loss of an important Republican moderate, Jim Leach.  As a Democrat, I have to say that I was quite happy with the results this past November 7.  However, as someone who also sees the need for bipartisan consensus building between moderate Republicans and moderate Democrats, I am saddened by Leach’s loss.

I spent 5 months in Iowa working on the Howard Dean campaign in Iowa and came to know Leach’s successor, David Loebsack, who was quite active in the Lynn county Dean campaign.  He was a well known local expert on international relations.  I know that David will do a fantastic job and am also happy to see him gain a voice in our Congress.  Nevertheless, it saddens me that this must come at the price of eliminating moderate Republicans such as Leach.  Leach was one of the few Republicans who broke with the President on the Iraq war resolution.  Broder mentions that Leach was sometimes known as the conscience of Congress for not accepting any PAC or out of state contributions. 

Leach, of course, was not the only moderate Republican to lose his seat.  Lincoln Chafee is the other one that comes to mind.  Although I was very much encouraged by Chafee’s willingness to stand up against the Bolton nomination, in the end, he could not overcome the downward pull that any association with the President these days brings.  As we all know, this election had little to do with Leach’s, Chafee’s, or even Loebsack’s politics.  Rather, it was a strong repudiation of the Bush administration.  What is tragic, however, is that such a repudiation, must come at the expense of moderate members of Congress.

Christine Todd Whitman had an interesting column the other day that presents Republicans with a choice.  They can play an obstructionist role or they can reach out to the center and actually get things done.  Whitman knows a thing or two about working in a bipartisan manner, having served as the Republican Governor of New Jersey and also as Bush’s EPA administrator (until Bush refused to accept that global warming was actually happening).

Bush actually had a pretty decent record of bipartisan accomplishment during his time as the Texas Governor.  Let’s hope that he can find a way to return to that modus operandi.  However, I fear that this will be increasingly difficult because many of the Republicans who could play that crossover role (Leach, Chafee, etc.) are no longer around.  It will be up to the less moderate Republicans (and Democrats) to decide whether they return to the center or continue down the path to the extremes.

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