Difference between revisions of "RINO"
| Line 10: | Line 10: | ||
*Congressman [[Ron Paul]] of [[Texas]] | *Congressman [[Ron Paul]] of [[Texas]] | ||
*Governor [[Arnold Schwarzenegger]] of [[California]] | *Governor [[Arnold Schwarzenegger]] of [[California]] | ||
| + | *Former Governor [[Mitt Romney]] of [[Massachusetts]] | ||
*Former Secretary of State [[Colin Powell]] | *Former Secretary of State [[Colin Powell]] | ||
*Former Supreme Court Justice and Arizona Senate Majority Leader [[Sandra Day O'Connor]] | *Former Supreme Court Justice and Arizona Senate Majority Leader [[Sandra Day O'Connor]] | ||
Revision as of 17:24, April 13, 2008
A RINO (Republican in Name Only), also known as a Reform Democrat, is a disparaging term used by immoderate Republicans, opposition Democrats, or the liberal media. It is used to characterize an officeholder or candidate who is a member of the Republican Party, but holds views outside the mainstream Republican Party. RINOs and Reform Democrats typically come from New England states where entrenched Democratic political machines may not allow dissent and opposition so reformers have difficulty gaining ballot access, or from western states or occasionally midwestern states. A similar term is cafeteria conservative, for a person who picks and chooses which conservative principles to believe, as a person might choose foods in a cafeteria instead of ordering the full-course menu selected by the chef at high-class restaurants.[1]
Centrists
- Senator Olympia J. Snowe of Maine
- Senator Susan Collins of Maine
- Senator Arlen Specter of Pennsylvania
- Senator Chuck Hagel of Nebraska
- Senator Gordon Smith of Oregon
- Senator John McCain of Arizona
- Congressman Ron Paul of Texas
- Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger of California
- Former Governor Mitt Romney of Massachusetts
- Former Secretary of State Colin Powell
- Former Supreme Court Justice and Arizona Senate Majority Leader Sandra Day O'Connor
- Former Governor, Senator, Representative Lowell Weicker of Connecticut
- Former Senator Lincoln Chafee of Rhode Island
- Former Governor George Pataki of New York
- Former Governor and Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Christine Whitman of New Jersey
- Former mayor Rudy Giuliani of New York City