Freshman GOP Rep. Heller's Anti-GOP Rhetoric Stirs Reaction

By Mary Ann Akers |  July 9, 2008; 4:10 PM ET 

Freshman Rep. Dean Heller's (R-Nev.) unusually frank comments about his own party needing to "clean house" -- starting with members of the historic class of 1994 -- are rubbing his GOP colleagues the wrong way. And predictably, members of the famous revolution class that ended a 40-year Democratic reign in the House are especially peeved.

Heller's offense was telling the Las Vegas Review Journal, "I'm of the position that we really need to clean house in this Republican Party, and I think the next couple of election cycles are going to do that." Taking special aim at the '94 GOP freshman class, Heller said, "It's an old mantra: they came to change Washington, and Washington changed them."

Considering that Heller sounded as if he were reading straight from House Democratic talking points, his GOP colleagues from the 1994 freshman class were not impressed with Heller's notion of tough love. Especially Rep. Zach Wamp (R-Tenn.), who is the only member of the '94 class who actually contributed money -- a nice $2,000 donation -- to Heller's reelection campaign this year.

"The people of Tennessee are glad that what is said in Nevada stays in Nevada," Wamp told the Sleuth.

Another member of the 1994 GOP freshman class, Rep. Steve LaTourette (R-Ohio), displaying his usual acid-tongued wit, said the Nevada freshman's comments "make me think they might have started storing radioactive waste in Yucca Mountain or had an escape from Area 51. The fact is, the Class of '94 created the longest serving Republican majority in recent history, and we didn't lose it until Dean showed up."

Ouch! (Now that's taking the "love" out of tough love. Though LaTourette, who is known for his biting humor, insisted he was only joking.)

Rep. Phil English (R-Pa.), another proud card-carrying member of the 1994 class who is facing a tougher-than-usual reelection race in this the Year of the Democrat, took pity on Heller and sought to educate the freshman on the differences between agents of reform -- a.k.a. the 1994 freshman class -- and agents of change.

"People forget that the insurgent GOP class of 1994 reformed welfare, cut taxes and moved the center of gravity in American politics right," English said. "Reform advocates should be weary that a 'change election' could empower big government advocates to embrace a radical program that will have lasting fallout.

Good luck with that spin, Congressman English.

(http://blog.washingtonpost.com/sleuth/2008/07/freshman_gop_rep_hellers_a...)