Weigel

Snowe Opponent Backs DADT Repeal

Sen. Olympia Snowe (R-Maine) is ready to vote for repeal of Don’t Ask Don’t Tell if and when the bill comes up next week. One reason, I think, is that there is no serious pressure on her to vote “no” from the right in her state. I checked in with Andrew Ian Dodge, the Maine Tea Party organizer who’s considering a primary challenge to Snowe, and asked whether he’d vote for DADT repeal if he were in the Senate this month.

“Yes,” said Dodge. “It should be a stand alone up or down vote because it’s an issue that deserves its own bill. Sneaking it into an over-all defense spending bill seemed sordid and dishonest. Ultimately this sort of thing should not be a political issue and left up to the military to decide for itself. It’s just one of those issues I can’t believe conservatives get their knickers in a twist about. Last Saturday evening I was in the company of four military (or ex) and not one of them thought DADT should stand.”

Snowe’s given every indication that she personally favors repealing DADT, but surely one reason she’s a safe vote now is that social conservatives don’t have the clout to challenge her vote that economic conservative have to nail her on spending.