Vote on Iraq funding bill triggers primary challenge for Gillibrand

A Democratic Party activist has said he will challenge Rep. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.) in a primary next year because of her vote last week on the Iraq war-spending bill.

Gillibrand, one of 18 freshman Democrats to vote for the Iraq war supplemental, is facing the primary challenge from Morris Guller, a political activist from Lexington.

{mosads}“To vote ‘yes’ to supply additional funds to prolong the suffering and deaths of American troops and Iraqi citizens, to break your promise to help bring a quick end to this war … is devastating,” said Guller in a letter to Gillibrand. “You will have a primary race in ’08.”

Guller ran for the 20th congressional district in New York as an independent candidate in 2004. He also won the endorsement of the Liberal Party during the 2006 elections, but dropped out of the race early.

“Many people believe that primaries are very healthy for their party,” Gillibrand Director of Communications Rachel McEneny told The Hill. “We welcome Mr. Guller to a public and open discussion on the important issues that are facing this country.”

Gillibrand defended her vote to the Post-Star in her home state. “It’s [a bill] we believe the president will sign,” she told the paper. It “was a compromise necessary to prevent funding for troops from running out.”

Meanwhile, Rep. Albert Wynn (D-Md.), who voted in favor of the 2002 Iraq war authorization measure, is facing a primary challenge from former ARCA foundation executive Donna Edwards. Wynn narrowly defeated Edwards in the 2006 primary.

Wynn recently cosponsored a measure that calls for the impeachment of Vice President Cheney. He voted against the war-funding bill last week.

While Guller will challenge Gillibrand because she voted for the supplemental spending bill, a couple of GOP lawmakers are feeling the heat because of their opposition to the war.

Republican state Sen. Andrew Harris has begun to form an exploratory committee this week to challenge Rep. Wayne Gilchrest (R-Md.), who has been one of the most outspoken GOP critics of the Iraq war. Similarly, Rep. Walter Jones (R-N.C.) is being challenged by Joe McLaughlin, a county commissioner, for his position on the war.

Jones and Gilchrest were the only two House Republicans to vote for the war supplemental bill that was vetoed by President Bush earlier this month.

Aaron Blake contributed to this report.