Republican In Name Only

RINO stands for Republican In Name Only, a disparaging term for a member of the United States Republican Party whose words and actions are thought to be too fiscally or socially moderate or liberal. It has since replaced the older term Rockefeller Republican to describe Republicans that have a more moderate or liberal slant.

Putative RINOs

Legend

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Groups that have labelled politicians RINOs

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• CFG — Club for Growth
• CWA — Concerned Women for America
• CWF — Campaign for Working Families
• NFRA — National Federation of Republican Assemblies
• RN — Robert Novak
• SVGOP — Save the GOP

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List of Republicans who have been labeled as RINOs:

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• Mayor Michael Bloomberg of New York City, a former Democrat who was also one of the few Republicans to oppose the nomination of John Roberts to the United States Supreme Court. (NFRA)
• Sen. R. Michael DeWine of Ohio, who voted for the Cantwell amendment to prevent oil exploration in the ANWR in Alaska.
• Sen. John S. McCain III of Arizona, an opponent of tax cuts and proponent of campaign finance reform (CFG, NFRA)
• California politician and former Los Angeles mayor Richard Riordan (RN)
• Gov. Arnold A. Schwarzenegger of California, who is pro-choice (NFRA, http://www.newsmax.com/archives/articles/2003/7/27/223055.shtml)
• Gov. George Pataki of New York (NFRA)
• Sen. Arlen Specter of Pennsylvania, who has in the past voiced pro-choice beliefs and sided with Teddy Kennedy against Robert Bork (CFG, CWA, NFRA)

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• Sen. George V. Voinovich of Ohio, a critic of John R. Bolton's nomination and a moderate (CFG)
• Sen. Johnny Isakson of Georgia, who despite a very party-loyal voting record in Congress is pro-choice, though he has since changed his position and become pro-life. (SVGOP)
• Sen. Olympia Snowe of Maine, who is pro-choice and is an ideological centrist (CFG, CWF)
• Sen. Susan Collins of Maine, also an ideological centrist (CWF)
• Sen. Lincoln D. Chafee of Rhode Island, arguably the most liberal Republican in the Senate

(CFG, CWF, NFRA)

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• Sen. Chuck Hagel of Nebraska, who was supporter of John Kerry's foreign policy http://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Chuck_Hagel and supporter of withdrawal of U.S. troops from Iraq. He was also on Kerry's consideration list for VP.
• Former New Jersey governor and EPA head Christine Todd Whitman, a moderate
• Former Rep. Amory Houghton of New York (CWF)
• Rep. James A. Leach of Iowa (CFG, CWF)
• Rep. Ron Paul of Texas, an ideological libertarian and former Libertarian Party Presidential candidate (CWF)
• Rep. Joe Schwarz of Michigan (CFG)
• Rep. Christopher Shays of Connecticut
• Former Secretary of State Colin Powell, who is pro-choice, popular among Democrats, voiced caution over invading Iraq and opposed Reagan delivering the famous Tear down this wall speech in Berlin in 1987.
• Former Governor of California Pete Wilson, who is pro-choice
• Former Mayor of New York City Rudy Giuliani, who, though very critical of John Kerry at the 2004 Republican National Convention, is pro-choice and has voiced support for gay rights

John Nichols argues http://www.agenceglobal.com/article.asp?id=221 that "sing the measures that progressives might reasonably apply to define a liberal... it is possible to point to just one senator, Rhode Island's Lincoln Chafee, and two members of the House, New York's Amo Houghton and Iowa's Jim Leach... A somewhat larger circle clings to the moderate GOP mantras of a Gerald Ford or a Richard Lugar, chair of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, but they are fading fast as a force in Congress." While Delaware representative Mike Castle claims that there are 40-45 moderate Republicans in the House, Nichols remarks, "That's actually a bit of a stretch — either of the numbers or of the definition of a 'moderate'."

Related Topics:
Gerald Ford - Richard Lugar - Senate Foreign Relations Committee - Mike Castle

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