Representative Raul Labrador (R-ID), a dark horse tea party contender to succeed ousted House Majority Leader Eric Cantor (R-VA), is having some organizational issues. First the Idaho GOP convention disintegrated under his watch due to tea party infighting last week. Now comes word that Labrador had trouble contacting his GOP House colleagues over the weekend to campaign for Cantor’s position — because he didn’t have their phone numbers.
House GOP staffers reported that Labrador’s office had been calling around to get other Rep’s cell numbers.
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Of course, not having your colleagues’ contact info is suggestive of a much bigger problem, namely that you lack the substantive relationships with your colleagues necessary to be their leader.
“If you don’t have contact numbers — much less have ever spoken with someone — you can’t get the votes,” one GOP lawmaker told the Washington Examiner’s David Drucker.
Tea partiers have been agitating for one of their own to be promoted to a leadership position after tea party groups in Virginia successfully unseated Cantor.
[h/t Washington Examiner]
[Image via Raul Labrador]