NM GOP Senate Candidates: John Sanchez Backs Ending Medicare But Heather Wilson Still Won't Talk

According to a statement released today by the Democratic Senate Campaign Committee (DSCC), it only took a day for extreme, right–wing Republican John Sanchez to get in line with mega-lobbyist Grover Norquist’s demands to support the GOP plan to end Medicare -- but Heather Wilson is refusing to comment. On Wednesday, Norquist issued new marching orders when he said that Republicans need to do their part to enact the reckless spending plan that privatizes Medicare in order to pay for big tax breaks for the rich and oil companies.

The following day, New Mexico Lieutenant Governor and fellow Senate hopeful John Sanchez did as he was told and finally came out and endorsed the plan, but there’s still nothing but crickets from the Wilson camp.

Norquist and Wilson are old Washington friends, and Wilson has previously signed on to Norquist’s pledge to preserve tax breaks for special interests and millionaires. But for months now, Wilson has refused to say specifically where she stands on the Republican plan.

“Heather Wilson’s Tea Party primary challenger got the message and got in line, but Wilson is ignoring new marching orders from her old Washington friend Grover Norquist,” said Matt Canter, Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee spokesman. “Wilson has a long history of kowtowing to Norquist’s demands, but now she is sitting silently on the sidelines, while her party recklessly attacks Medicare. Wilson’s refusal to say anything, let alone the right thing by standing up for seniors and Medicare, sends a disturbing message.”

Guess Heather is committed to having it both ways by staying mute on the GOP policy of destroying Medicare as we know it. She doesn't want to offend senior primary voters by openly supporting her party's extreme policy -- but she also doesn't want to anger Tea Party ideologues by saying plainly that she's against it. Instead, Wilson seems dead set on trying to be a cipher on one of the most important issues being discussed in the nation today. Cowardly and expedient, isn't it?

Background:

WISLON SIGNED NORQUIST'S PLEDGE:
April 2011: Wilson Signed Grover Norquist’s ‘Taxpayer Protection Pledge.’ In April 2011, Heather Wilson signed the Taxpayer Protection Pledge from Grover Norquist’s Americans for Tax Reform. [ATR Release, 4/18/11]

NORQUIST ISSUED NEW MARCHING ORDERS:
Norquist is demanding that Republicans in Congress enact the extreme Republican plan to end Medicare or pay the consequences. “Anti-tax activist Grover Norquist, the keeper of the no-new-taxes pledge that virtually all Republican politicians have signed, has a new set of marching orders for the GOP troops; Enact Rep. Paul Ryan‘s budget plan.” [Wall Street Journal, 7/12/11]

JOHN SANCHEZ GOT ON BOARD:
Sanchez finally endorsed the Ryan plan in a statement yesterday. "A genuine conservative should have no trouble supporting Rep. Ryan’s budget proposal. It is not perfect by any means, but it is a bold step toward truly reforming how our federal government does business. It protects our seniors, pays down our national debt, puts us on a responsible path to prosperity and repeals ObamaCare. I would vote for Rep. Ryan’s plan. ... For Mrs. Wilson to punt on such an important issue is disappointing, and unfortunately consistent with her record.” [Santa Fe New Mexican, 7/14/11]

WILSON SILENT ON PLAN TO END MEDICARE:
Wilson Continued to Sidestep Ryan Budget Questions. In an interview with POLITICO, Wilson continued to sidestep questions about House Finance Committee Chairman Paul Ryan’s 2012 budget plan that would end Medicare in its current form. Wilson praised Ryan “for his efforts” but also pointed out that she disagreed with portions of his blueprint. “I'm not in the House of Representatives. This is not something that I have to vote on. I don't agree with some of the things in his budget plan. There are a lot of things in there that cause some concern,” Wilson said. [POLITICO, 7/8/11]