Partisan Donors Imperil Lone Republican To Support Healthcare Reform

02/28/10-by Bridgette P. LaVictoire
Representative Ahn Cao is representative of one of the major problems within the American political system. Rep. Cao is the lone Republican to break with his party to support Healthcare Reform, and it is hurting him badly. Cao, who replaced corrupt Democratic Representative William Jefferson, is finding his willingness to be bipartisan a detriment to his campaign finances rather than a boost. Cao (pronounced gow) is getting some support from the Republican National Committee, but Conservative donors are withholding funds from him for his willingness to cross Party lines to support what his constituents want.

Representative Cao is in a major Catch-22 situation. Had he opposed healthcare reform, he would have been out on his ear in the next election since the district he represents is heavily Democratic and heavily in favor of reform; however, by supporting reform, he has doomed himself with the Republican’s increasingly Conservative and partisan donors. The increased level of partisanship in the political spectrum has made Moderates a rare breed and compromise all but impossible to achieve. Instead, both sides are rewarded or punished by their partisanship. In the case of Cao, being bipartisan has resulted in his campaign funds being sapped.

Cao is a moderate on many LGBT issues, such as employment and housing rights and possibly Don’t Ask Don’t Tell, even though he opposes marriage equality.

Cao, as a Moderate Republican, may end up being replaced by a Democrat in the 2010 election cycle if he is unable to find enough money to run an effective campaign.

Cao, whose full name is Cao Quang Ahn, is the first Vietnamese-American and first native of Vietnam elected to Congress. He is most often known as Joseph Cao.