Republican In Name Only, or RINO, is a disparaging term for a member of the Republican Party of the United States whose political views or actions are perceived as not conservative and outside the conservative mainstream. Terms of disparagement are pejorative terms such as yid, kike, nigger, whore, slut, fag and queer whose use usually arouses painful feelings in the target, members of the targeted group or sympathizers. ... The Republican Party, often called the GOP (for Grand Old Party, although one early citation described it as the Gallant Old Party) [1], is one of the two major political parties in the United States. ... American conservatism is a constellation of political ideologies within the United States under the blanket heading of conservative. ...

General criteria

The term implies that, despite party affiliation, RINO politicians are not "authentic" Republicans. The label is usually acquired because of a politician's political actions, such as implemented policies, position on certain issues or voting records, are considered to be at variance with core conservative belief. Accordingly, the term does not imply that the Republicans in question are Democrats, Libertarians or independents - they are still recognized GOP members, unlike Senator Jim Jeffords (VT), who was called a RINO until he left the party in 2001. The term is often used to describe politicians at the congressional level, but can be applied to members of any governmental branch or electoral constituency. Some GOP members who use the term to criticize other party members claim loyalty to the principles of conservatism before the party. Sometimes these conservatives threaten to bolt the party or boycott an election if a supposed RINO is nominated, thus punishing the party by defeat. The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, the other being the Republican Party. ... The Libertarian Party is an American political party founded on Dec. ... James Merrill Jim Jeffords (born May 11, 1934 in Rutland, Vermont) is currently the junior U.S. Senator from Vermont and the only Independent in the United States Senate. ... Official language(s) None Capital Montpelier Largest city Burlington Area  Ranked 45th  - Total 9,620 sq mi (24,923 km²)  - Width 80 miles (130 km)  - Length 160 miles (260 km)  - % water 3. ... The Congress of the United States is the legislative branch of the federal government of the United States of America. ...

RINO and GOP policy

With regard to electoral strategy, the Republican National Committee will usually lend support to an incumbent member in a primary election, even if their beliefs are outside the Republican mainstream or if they are criticized by some members of the party as being a "RINO". The rationale is that the incumbent is more valuable to the party than the challenger because he or she already represents a core GOP constituency and may have achieved seniority in office. Conservative activists outside the RNC contend that it is better for the party to lose the seat—and even risk political clout or a legislative majority—rather than retain elected officials who are seen as too liberal. Bush/Cheney, 2004 campaign manager Ken Mehlman is the current chairman of the RNC. The Republican National Committee (RNC) provides national leadership for the Republican Party of the United States. ... The incumbent, in politics, is the current holder of a political office. ... A primary election is an election in which voters in a jurisdiction select candidates for a subsequent election (nominating primary). ... Seniority is the concept of a person or group being in charge or in command of another person or group. ...

Regional differences and political history

Political commentators have noted that the different states have different political centers of gravity. Thus a Republican who is considered mainstream in California or New York might be called a RINO in Texas or Wyoming. Official language(s) English Capital Sacramento Largest city Los Angeles Area  Ranked 3rd  - Total 158,302 sq mi (410,000 km²)  - Width 250 miles (400 km)  - Length 770 miles (1,240 km)  - % water 4. ... NY redirects here. ... Official language(s) No Official Language See languages of Texas Capital Austin Largest city Houston Area  Ranked 2nd  - Total 261,797 sq mi (678,051 km²)  - Width 773 miles (1,244 km)  - Length 790 miles (1,270 km)  - % water 2. ... Official language(s) English Capital Cheyenne Largest city Cheyenne Area  Ranked 10th  - Total 97,818 sq mi (253,348 km²)  - Width 280 miles (450 km)  - Length 360 miles (580 km)  - % water 0. ...

RINO is a neologism believed to have been coined in 1992 by John DiStaso, senior political correspondent for the Manchester, NH daily newspaper, the Union Leader.^[1] The word and came into widespread usage around 2000, particularly during the election campaigns of that year. While the term is new, the concept of being a member of a party, but not representing its mainstream is not uncommon in American political history. In 1912, former President Theodore Roosevelt, then-President William Howard Taft and Senator Robert LaFollette fought for ideological control of the Republican Party and each denounced the other two as "not really Republican." The Taft faction went on to control the national ticket until 1936. From 1936 to 1964 the liberal side of the Republican party frequently won the national nomination with candidates such as Alf Landon, Wendell Willkie, Tom Dewey, Dwight D. Eisenhower, and Richard Nixon. Indeed, other terms for Liberal Republicans include Nixonian and Rockefeller Republican, both named after putative RiNOs from this era. This article cites very few or no references or sources. ... John DiStaso is a newspaper journalist who is currently the senior political reporter for the Union Leader, a daily published in Manchester, New Hampshire. ... Nickname: Location in Hillsborough County, New Hampshire Coordinates: Country United States State New Hampshire County Hillsborough County Incorporated 1751 Government  - Mayor Frank Guinta (R) Area  - City  34. ... The New Hampshire Union Leader is the daily newspaper of Manchester, the largest city in the state of New Hampshire. ... Theodore Roosevelt, Jr. ... William Howard Taft (September 15, 1857 – March 8, 1930) was an American politician, the 27th President of the United States, the 10th Chief Justice of the United States, a leader of the progressive conservative wing of the Republican Party in the early 20th century, a pioneer in international arbitration and... Robert M. La Follette can refer to two United States politicians. ... Alf Landon Alfred Mossman Alf Landon (September 9, 1887 – October 12, 1987) was an American Republican politician from Kansas, who was defeated in a landslide by Franklin D. Roosevelt in the 1936 presidential election. ... Wendell L. Willkie Wendell Lewis Willkie (February 18, 1892 – October 8, 1944) was a lawyer in the United States and the Republican nominee for the 1940 presidential election. ... Thomas Edmund Dewey (March 24, 1902 – March 16, 1971) was the Governor of New York (1943-1955) and the Republican candidate for the U.S. Presidency in two elections (1944 and 1948), losing both times. ... Dwight David Ike Eisenhower, born David Dwight Eisenhower (October 14, 1890 – March 28, 1969) was an American General and politician, who served as the thirty-fourth President of the United States (1953–1961). ... Richard Milhous Nixon (January 9, 1913 – April 22, 1994) was the 37th President of the United States, serving from 1969 to 1974. ... Nixonian, or Nixonite is a term used to refer to Republicans who, rather than being Conservative, tend to promoted high domestic spending and an active regulatory regime, along with an aggressive foreign policy. ... In the United States, the term Rockefeller Republican refers to those members of the Republican party who hold moderate views similar to those of the late Nelson Rockefeller, governor of New York from 1959 to 1973 and vice president of the United States under President Gerald Ford in the mid...

In the 1950s conservatives like Barry Goldwater were considered outside of the mainstream of the then-centrist GOP; they seriously considered leaving the GOP and forming a new conservative party in cooperation with conservative Democrats.^[2] After 1980 there were few if any open liberals in prominent positions in the GOP, but there were numerous "moderates", such as George H. W. Bush. This does not cite any references or sources. ... Barry Morris Goldwater (January 1, 1909 – May 29, 1998) was a five-term United States Senator from Arizona (1953–1965, 1969–87) and the Republican Partys nominee for president in the 1964 election. ... George Herbert Walker Bush (born June 12, 1924) was the 41st President of the United States, serving from 1989 to 1993. ...

The term RINO typically comes into play during primary season as candidates vie for the party nominations. Because primaries are usually decided by more active party members, a challenger may employ the tactic of accusing his opponent of being a RINO while positioning himself or herself as a "true" Republican. There have been instances of party discipline being applied in favor of moderate Republicans, especially if the party leadership believes the latter candidate has a better chance of winning the general election (see RINO and GOP policy above).^{[citation needed]} Republican In Name Only, or RINO, is a disparaging term for a member of the Republican Party of the United States whose political views or actions are perceived as not conservative and outside the conservative mainstream. ...

Putative RINOs sometimes proudly claim to be so, countering critics by saying that they are "Raging RINOs" - Republicans / Independents Not Overdosed (on the Party Kool Aid).^[3] "Kool Aid" in the name is a reference to the mass suicide by members of the Jonestown cult. Houses in Jonestown Jonestown was the communal settlement made in northwestern Guyana, by the Peoples Temple, a cult from California. ...

"Accused" RINOs and RINO hunters

Rudy Giuliani and Colin Powell have been labeled as Republican In Name Only by some conservatives who denounce them as too liberal.

An example of someone accused of being a RINO is Michael Bloomberg, Mayor of New York City who switched party affiliation from Democrat to Republican shortly before he ran for mayor because he correctly assumed that another Republican would be elected following Republican mayor Rudy Giuliani, and to avoid a punishing and expensive Democratic primary between Mark J. Green and Fernando Ferrer that seriously weakened Green's chances in the general election. Bloomberg is a highly successful businessman (estimated to be worth $5 billion) with strong support from Wall Street, but like his predecessor, he holds many liberal policy positions, including support for gun control, opposition to the death-penalty (even for the 9-11 attackers), a pro-choice position on abortion and support for a powerful regulatory system^{[citation needed]}, among other liberal positions. However, in June 2007 Bloomberg became an independent. Image File history File links U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell and Rudy Giuliani, Head of the U.S. Delegation to OSCE’s Anti-Semitism Meeting in Vienna, Austria, following courtesy call at the Department of State on June 13, 2003. ... Image File history File links U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell and Rudy Giuliani, Head of the U.S. Delegation to OSCE’s Anti-Semitism Meeting in Vienna, Austria, following courtesy call at the Department of State on June 13, 2003. ... Rudolph William Louis Giuliani III, (born May 28, 1944) is an American lawyer, prosecutor, businessman, and Republican politician from the state of New York. ... General Colin Luther Powell, United States Army (Ret. ... Michael Rubens Bloomberg (born 14 February 1942) is an American businessman, philanthropist, and the founder of Bloomberg L.P., currently serving as the Mayor of New York City. ... For a list of the Dutch Director-Generals who governed New Amsterdam (as New York City was called when it was a Dutch-run settlement) between 1624 and 1664, see: Director-General of New Netherland. ... In United States politics, party switching is any change in party affiliation of a partisan public figure, usually one who is currently holding elected office. ... Rudolph William Louis Giuliani III, (born May 28, 1944) is an American lawyer, prosecutor, businessman, and Republican politician from the state of New York. ... Mark Green Mark J. Green (b. ... Fernando Ferrer Fernando James Freddy Ferrer (born April 30, 1950 in the Bronx, New York) was the Borough President of The Bronx from 1987 to 2001, and was a candidate for Mayor of New York in 2001 and the Democratic Party nominee for Mayor in 2005. ... Elaborate marble facade of NYSE as seen from the intersection of Broad and Wall Streets For other uses, see Wall Street (disambiguation). ... This article needs additional references or sources to facilitate its verification. ...

Another example of a Republican perceived as a RINO is Lincoln Chafee the former senator of Rhode Island and the most liberal Republican in the Senate as of 2006, when he was defeated in his re-election bid by Democrat Sheldon Whitehouse. Among the positions against the Congressional authorization for the Iraq War, against tax cuts, and even publicly announced that he would not vote for George W. Bush in 2004, instead writing in a vote for his father, George H.W. Bush. However, the RNC strongly supported his renomination battle and reelection attempt in 2006.^[4][5] Lincoln Davenport Chafee (IPA pronunciation: , [CHAY-fee]) (born March 26, 1953) is a Republican United States Senator from Rhode Island. ... Official language(s) English Capital Providence Largest city Providence Area  Ranked 50th  - Total 1,214* [1] sq mi (3,144* km²)  - Width 37 miles (60 km)  - Length 48 miles (77 km)  - % water 32. ... Sheldon Whitehouse (born October 20, 1955) is the Junior Senator from the state of Rhode Island. ... There have been three conflicts in the late 20th century and early 21st century called Gulf War, all of which refer to conflicts in the Persian Gulf region: Iran-Iraq War (1980-1988) (aka First Gulf War). ... George Walker Bush (born July 6, 1946) is the 43rd and current President of the United States, inaugurated on January 20, 2001. ... Order: 41st President Vice President: Dan Quayle Term of office: January 20, 1989 – January 20, 1993 Preceded by: Ronald Reagan Succeeded by: Bill Clinton Date of birth: June 12, 1924 Place of birth: Milton, Massachusetts First Lady: Barbara Pierce Bush Political party: Republican George Herbert Walker Bush, KBE (born...

Those Republicans who are labeled RINOs counter that the conservatives who call them RINOs are too far right and too politically naive. They point out that they can and do win in moderate and liberal areas and without their votes the Republicans would lose control of Congress. Furthermore the moderates in the Northeast and upper Midwest point out that "Yankees" founded the GOP in the first place, while most of the critics (especially in the South) are recent converts to the party. Many Republican House members in Southern states, such as Alabama's Richard Shelby, were initially elected as Democrats. It has been suggested that this article or section be merged into far right. ... Regional definitions vary The Northeastern United States is a region of the United States defined by the U.S. Census Bureau. ... This article does not cite its references or sources. ... Historic Southern United States. ... Richard Craig Dick Shelby (born May 6, 1934) is an American politician. ...

Liberal Republicans say the “RINO” term is only a rhetorical device used to exaggerate the importance of several key issues for many conservatives, most notably abortion and taxes.

Some conservative organizations use the term RINO to help describe some of their activities. For instance, California's National Federation of Republican Assemblies started the "RINO Hunters' Club" and the Club for Growth (which demands more tax cuts) started the "RINO Watch." Both groups say they are committed to party unity. The National Federation of Republican Assemblies is an organization which seeks to promote conservative principles and candidates within in the United States Republican Party. ... The Club for Growth is a section 527 political organization and an affiliated political action committee that raises money for candidates who support an anti-tax and limited-government agenda. ...

Democratic "DINOs"

The acronym has led to the analogous DINO, a Democrat In Name Only, referring to those Democratic office holders who are too conservative (when compared to the majority of Democratic office holders). The term Fox News liberal has also been used in this context. The two acronyms are, at the same time, puns on rhinoceros and dinosaur. This article or section does not adequately cite its references or sources. ... It has been suggested that this article or section be merged into Democrat in Name Only. ...

Both terms are used by more ideological members of either party to challenge fellow party members for their positions. In some cases, the platforms of the members in question are not even necessarily close to the opponents'— they just do not necessarily follow the party line in every case.

Senator Joe Lieberman, who was denounced by Democrats for his support of Bush's Iraq policy, is one example. On most domestic issues, however, Lieberman is seen as in the liberal mainstream of the Democratic Party. Lieberman, who was defeated for renomination in the Connecticut Democratic primary in August 2006, but won his seat as an independent, said, "I'm worried that my party may become what we've accused the Republicans of, a kind of litmus-test party. If you don't agree with us 100 percent of the time, you don't agree with us."^[6] Joseph Isadore Lieberman (born February 24, 1942) is an American politician from Connecticut. ...

RINO-ism in recent primary elections

Two Republican senators who have been labeled RINOs by conservatives such as the group Club for Growth and Human Events magazine ^[7] are Arlen Specter of Pennsylvania and Lincoln Chafee of Rhode Island. The Club for Growth is a section 527 political organization and an affiliated political action committee that raises money for candidates who support an anti-tax and limited-government agenda. ... Human Events is a weekly conservative magazine founded in 1944. ... Arlen Specter (born February 12, 1930) is a United States Senator from Pennsylvania. ... Capital Harrisburg Largest city Philadelphia Area  Ranked 33rd  - Total 46,055 sq mi (119,283 km²)  - Width 280 miles (455 km)  - Length 160 miles (255 km)  - % water 2. ...

In 2004, Specter drew a conservative primary election challenger in Rep. Pat Toomey. Toomey had significant financial support from the Club for Growth while the Young Conservatives of Pennsylvania provided volunteers. While the Club for Growth opposed Specter's role in increased federal spending, many conservatives focused on Specter's pro-choice views on abortion. Specter was supported by the GOP establishment including President George W. Bush and Senator Rick Santorum. This support helped Specter survive the challenge by a narrow 17,000 votes. A primary election is an election in which voters in a jurisdiction select candidates for a subsequent election (nominating primary). ... The House of Representatives is the larger of two houses that make up the U.S. Congress, the other being the United States Senate. ... Pat Toomey Patrick Joseph Pat Toomey (born November 17, 1961 in Providence, Rhode Island) is a United States politician. ... This article needs additional references or sources to facilitate its verification. ... George Walker Bush (born July 6, 1946) is the 43rd and current President of the United States, inaugurated on January 20, 2001. ... “Santorum” redirects here. ...

In 2006, Chafee received over $1 million from national Republican party officials, especially the National Republican Senatorial Committee. Chafee defeated a primary challenge by Steve Laffey the mayor of Cranston, Rhode Island. Laffey was chosen by the Club for Growth to teach a lesson to Republicans who strayed from the Club's ideology. The Club ignored repeated warnings that defeat of Chafee would risk turning the Senate over to the Democrats. When Chafee was one of six Republican incumbents to fail to be reelected in 2006, (he lost to Democrat Sheldon Whitehouse), the party indeed lost its Senate majority. The National Republican Senatorial Committee (NRSC) is the Republican Hill committee for the United States Senate, working to elect Republicans to that body. ... Steve Laffey is the current Mayor of Cranston, Rhode Island. ... Location of Cranston, Rhode Island. ... Sheldon Whitehouse (born October 20, 1955) is the Junior Senator from the state of Rhode Island. ...

Comparisons of liberal vs. moderate Republicans

John Nichols, a correspondent for The Nation (a left-leaning political magazine) argued in a 2004 article ^[8]that "Using the measures that progressives might reasonably apply to define a liberal... it is possible to point to just one [current Republican] 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." This article is about the U.S publication. ... Lincoln Davenport Chafee (IPA pronunciation: , [CHAY-fee]) (born March 26, 1953) is a Republican United States Senator from Rhode Island. ... NY redirects here. ... Amory Amo Houghton Jr. ... Capital Des Moines Largest city Des Moines Area  Ranked 26th  - Total 56,272 sq mi (145,743 km²)  - Width 310 miles (500 km)  - Length 199 miles (320 km)  - % water 0. ... James Albert Smith (Jim) Leach (born October 15, 1942), American politician, was a Republican member of the United States House of Representatives. ... this guy is awsome i played him in a school play he also has some pretty funky history Gerald Rudolph Ford, Jr. ... Richard Green Dick Lugar (born April 4, 1932) is the senior United States Republican Senator from Indiana. ... U.S. Senate Committee on Foreign Relations is a standing committee of the United States Senate. ...

It should be noted that the three Republican congressmen whom Nichols considered liberal-Chafee, Houghton, and Leach-are out of office. Chafee and Leach were defeated in the 2006 elections, whereas Houghton did not stand for reelection in 2004.

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'." Official language(s) None Capital Dover Largest city Wilmington Area  Ranked 49th  - Total 2,491 sq mi (6,452 km²)  - Width 30 miles (48 km)  - Length 100 miles (161 km)  - % water 21. ... Michael Newbold Mike Castle (born July 2, 1939) is an American lawyer and politician from Wilmington, in New Castle County, Delaware. ...

Anti-RINO political groups

Some of these groups have accused Republican politicians of being RINOs:

• CFG — Club for Growth - Advocates fiscal restraint, tax cuts and limited regulation of commerce. ^[9]
• CWA — Concerned Women for America - Advocates opposition to gay marriage, anti-abortion legislation and restrictions on pornography.^[10]
• CWF — Campaign for Working Families - advocates increased border security, repeal of gun control laws, abortion restrictions and support of a flag-burning amendment.^[11]
• NFRA — National Federation of Republican Assemblies - advocates increased border security, repeal of gun control laws, abortion restrictions and support of an anti-flag-burning amendment. ^[12]

The Club for Growth is a section 527 political organization and an affiliated political action committee that raises money for candidates who support an anti-tax and limited-government agenda. ... Concerned Women for America is a conservative Christian group that is active in politics in the United States. ... The National Federation of Republican Assemblies is an organization which seeks to promote conservative principles and candidates within in the United States Republican Party. ...

Political groups considered to be RINO

While the term RINO is largely subjective, these groups are often criticized for being RINO:

• The Republican Main Street Partnership
• Republicans For Choice
• The Log Cabin Republicans
• The Wish List
• The Republican Majority For Choice
• IMP-PAC (Its My Party Too)

The Republican Main Street Partnership is a group of social liberals and moderates in the United States Republican Party. ... Republicans for Choice, an organization based in the Washington, DC area (Headquarters: 2760 Eisenhower Ave, Suite #260, Alexandria, Virginia 22314) is a political action committee (PAC) composed of members of the United States Republican Party who support legalized abortion. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... The Wish List is an organization whose acronym for Women In the Senate and House. ...

Individuals claimed to be "RINOs"

Note: The publications and organizations listed below are neither part of nor associated with the Republican Party, although many of them are politically conservative.

Human Events Top 10 RINOs

Human Events magazine's list of the Top 10 RINOs (published December 27, 2005). Ranked by the editors of Human Events.^[13]

1. Sen. Lincoln Chafee (Rhode Island)

2. Sen. Olympia Snowe (Maine)

3. Sen. Arlen Specter (Pennsylvania)

4. Sen. Susan Collins (Maine)

5. Rep. Christopher Shays (Connecticut)

6. Gov. George Pataki (New York)

7. Rep. Sherwood Boehlert (New York)

8. Gov. Mitt Romney (Massachusetts)

9. Rep. Michael Castle (Delaware)

10. Rep. Jim Leach (Iowa)

Many of the names on this list are no longer in office. Chaffee and Leach were both defeated in the 2006 elections. Boehlert, Pataki, and Romney all retired at the end of that election cycle. Ironically, number 8 on the list, Mitt Romney, is running for the 2008 Republican nomination, as a social conservative. Lincoln Davenport Chafee (IPA pronunciation: , [CHAY-fee]) (born March 26, 1953) is a Republican United States Senator from Rhode Island. ... Olympia Jean Bouchles Snowe (born February 21, 1947 in Augusta, Maine) is a Republican politician and the senior United States Senator from Maine. ... Arlen Specter (born February 12, 1930) is a United States Senator from Pennsylvania. ... With fellow Maine Senator Olympia Snowe Susan Margaret Collins (born December 7, 1952 in Caribou, Maine) is an American politician, the junior U.S. Senator from Maine and a Republican. ... Shays is interviewed in a charity facility. ... George Elmer Pataki (born June 24, 1945) is the current Governor of New York State, USA serving since January 1995, and as of late 2006 is the longest-serving of all current U.S. governors. ... Rep. ... Willard Mitt Romney (born March 12, 1947, usually known as Mitt), was the 70th Governor of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. ... Michael Newbold Castle (born July 2, 1939) is an American politician who was Governor of Delaware from 1985 to 1992 and has represented Delaware as a Republican member of the United States House of Representatives since 1993. ... James Albert Smith (Jim) Leach (born October 15, 1942), American politician, was a Republican member of the United States House of Representatives. ...

Family Research Council's Top 10 RINOs in the House of Representatives

The Family Research Council's list of the Top 10 RINOs in the U.S. House of Representatives (published October 12, 2005). Ranked by an analysis of 13 votes representing a cross section of conservative issues, most of them concerning gays, abortion, or stem-cell research.^[14] The Family Research Council (FRC) is a Christian conservative non-profit lobbying organization, formed in the United States by James Dobson in 1981 and incorporated 1983. ... Homosexuality is a sexual orientation characterized by esthetic attraction, romantic love, or sexual desire exclusively for another of the same sex. ... Mouse embryonic stem cells. ...

1. Rep. Christopher Shays (Connecticut)

2. Rep. Michael Castle (Delaware)

3. Rep. Sherwood Boehlert (New York)

4. Rep. Mark Kirk (Illinois)

5. Rep. Jim Kolbe (Arizona) (tied for 5th)

5. Rep. Rob Simmons (Connecticut) (tied for 5th)

7. Rep. Wayne Gilchrest (Maryland) (tied for 7th)

7. Rep. Jim Leach (Iowa) (tied for 7th)

9. Rep. Mary Bono (California) (tied for 9th)

9. Rep. Nancy Johnson (Connecticut) (tied for 9th)

Boehlert and Kolbe retired from Congress at the end of their terms in 2006. Simmons, Leach and Johnson were defeated in the 2006 elections. Shays is interviewed in a charity facility. ... Michael Newbold Castle (born July 2, 1939) is an American politician who was Governor of Delaware from 1985 to 1992 and has represented Delaware as a Republican member of the United States House of Representatives since 1993. ... Rep. ... Mark Steven Kirk (born September 15, 1959) has been a Republican member of the United States House of Representatives since 2001, representing Illinoiss 10th congressional district (map). ... James Thomas Jim Kolbe (born June 28, 1942) was a Republican member of the United States House of Representatives, having served since 1985. ... Rep. ... Wayne Gilchrest Wayne Thomas Gilchrest (born April 15, 1946) is a Republican member of the United States House of Representatives representing the 1st district (map) of the State of Maryland since 1991. ... James Albert Smith (Jim) Leach (born October 15, 1942), American politician, was a Republican member of the United States House of Representatives. ... Mary Bono Mary Whitaker Bono (born October 24, 1961), an American politician, has been a Republican member of the United States House of Representatives since 1998, representing the 45th District of California (map) which includes most of central and eastern Riverside County, including Palm Springs. ... Nancy Lee Johnson (born January 5, 1935, Chicago, Illinois) is an American politician. ...

More RINOs, according to various organizations

• Chuck Hagel, who has repeatedly criticised both the Bush administration and the Republican party itself. (Hagel's actual voting record in the senate is very conservative on all matters excluding Iraq).
• Former Rep. Charlie Bass of New Hampshire. (CWF)
• 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. Bloomberg has since left the Republican Party. (NFRA)
• Former Sen. Lincoln D. Chafee of Rhode Island, who did not endorse George W. Bush for his 2004 re-election bid. (CFG, CWF, NFRA)
• Sen. Susan Collins of Maine, also an ideological centrist (CWF)
• Former Rep. Amo Houghton of New York. (CWF)
• Sen. Johnny Isakson of Georgia, who despite a very party-loyal voting record in Congress was initially pro-choice, though he has since changed his position and become pro-life. (SVGOP)
• Former Rep. James A. Leach of Iowa. (CFG, CWF)
• Sen. John S. McCain III of Arizona, an opponent of tax cuts and proponent of campaign finance reform. (CFG, NFRA)
• Former Gov. George Pataki of New York. (NFRA)
• Rep. Ron Paul of Texas, an ideological libertarian and former Libertarian Party Presidential candidate. He actually is considered by many to be the MOST conservative member of Congress and is self described as a paleoconservative (CWF)
• California politician and former Los Angeles mayor Richard Riordan. (RN)
• Rep. Joe Schwarz of Michigan. (CFG)
• Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger of California, who is pro-choice. (NFRA)
• Sen. Olympia Snowe of Maine, who is pro-choice and an ideological centrist. (CFG, CWF)
• Sen. Arlen Specter of Pennsylvania, who has in the past voiced pro-choice beliefs and sided with Senator Ted Kennedy against Supreme Court nominee Robert Bork. (As Chairman of the Judiciary Committee, Specter allowed Chief Justice Roberts and Justice Alito to be confirmed, and also helped the confirmation of Justice Thomas earlier in his career). (CFG, CWA, NFRA)
• Sen. George V. Voinovich of Ohio, a former critic of John R. Bolton's nomination as U.S. ambassador to the United Nations. (CFG)

Charles Timothy Chuck Hagel (born October 4, 1946) is the senior United States Senator from Nebraska. ... George W. Bush administration is the administration of the 43rd president of the United States of America, 2001-present George H. W. Bush administration is the administration of the 41st president of the United States of America, 1989-1993 This is a disambiguation page, a list of pages that otherwise... Charles Foster Bass (born January 8, 1952) is a member of the United States House of Representatives for the second district of New Hampshire. ... Michael Rubens Bloomberg (born 14 February 1942) is an American businessman, philanthropist, and the founder of Bloomberg L.P., currently serving as the Mayor of New York City. ... John Glover Roberts Jr. ... The Supreme Court Building, Washington, D.C. The Supreme Court Building, Washington, D.C., (large image) The Supreme Court of the United States, located in Washington, D.C., is the highest court (see supreme court) in the United States; that is, it has ultimate judicial authority within the United States... Lincoln Chafee Lincoln Davenport Chafee (born March 26, 1953) is a United States Senator from Rhode Island. ... With fellow Maine Senator Olympia Snowe Susan Margaret Collins (born December 7, 1952 in Caribou, Maine) is an American politician, the junior U.S. Senator from Maine and a Republican. ... Amory Amo Houghton Jr. ... John Hardy Johnny Isakson (born December 28, 1944), American politician, has been a Republican United States Senator from Georgia since 2005. ... James Albert Smith Leach (born October 15, 1942), American politician, has been a Republican member of the United States House of Representatives since 1977, representing the east central and southeast portions of Iowa. ... Alternative meanings: John S. McCain, Sr. ... George Elmer Pataki (born June 24, 1945) is the current Governor of New York State, USA serving since January 1995, and as of late 2006 is the longest-serving of all current U.S. governors. ... Ronald Ernest Paul (born August 20, 1935) is a 10th-term Congressman, physician (M.D.) and a 2008 presidential candidate from the U.S. state of Texas, seeking the nomination of the Republican Party. ... The term paleoconservative (sometimes shortened to paleo or paleocon when the context is clear) refers to an American branch of conservative Old Right thought that is frequently at odds with the current of conservative thought as espoused by the Republican Party elite. ... Richard J. Riordan Richard J. Riordan (born May 1, 1930) is a Republican politician from California, who served as the California Secretary of Education from 2003–2005 and as Mayor of Los Angeles from 1993–2001. ... John J. H. Joe Schwarz (b. ... Arnold Alois Schwarzenegger (German pronunciation (IPA): ) (born on July 30, 1947) is an Austrian-American bodybuilder, actor and an American politician, currently serving as the 38th Governor of California. ... Olympia Jean Bouchles Snowe (born February 21, 1947 in Augusta, Maine) is a Republican politician and the senior United States Senator from Maine. ... Arlen Specter (born February 12, 1930) is a United States Senator from Pennsylvania. ... Edward Moore Ted Kennedy (born February 22, 1932) is the senior United States Senator from Massachusetts and a member of the Democratic Party. ... Robert Heron Bork (born March 1, 1927) is a conservative American legal scholar who advocates the judicial philosophy of originalism. ... George Victor Voinovich (born July 15, 1936) is an American politician from Ohio. ... John Robert Bolton (born November 20, 1948), an attorney and an American diplomat in several Republican administrations, served as the interim[1] U.S. Permanent Representative to the United Nations with the title of ambassador, from August 2005 until December 2006, on a recess appointment. ... An ambassador, rarely embassador, is a diplomatic official accredited to a foreign sovereign or government, or to an international organization, to serve as the official representative of his or her own country. ... The foundation of the U.N. The United Nations (UN) is an international organization whose stated aims are to facilitate co-operation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress and human rights issues. ...

Notes

See also

• Gypsy moth Republican
• Democrat In Name Only
• Blue Dog Democrats
• Boll Weevil Democrats
• Left-Right politics
• Right-wing politics
• Party switching
• Party switching in the United States
• Rockefeller Republican
• Third party

A Gypsy moth Republican, informally, is a politically pejorative term used by conservative Republicans to describe a moderate Republican serving in the U.S. House of Representatives who happens to represent a northeastern or midwestern urban area of the U.S. (an area that is also the habitat for the... This article or section does not adequately cite its references or sources. ... Blue Dog Democrats are social and economic conservatives and moderates in the United States Democratic Party. ... Boll weevils was an American political term used in the mid- and late-20th century to describe conservative Southern Democrats. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... It has been suggested that this article or section be merged into Left-Right politics. ... In politics, party switching is any change in party affiliation of a partisan public figure, usually one who is currently holding elected office. ... In United States politics, party switching is any change in party affiliation of a partisan public figure, usually one who is currently holding elected office. ... In the United States, the term Rockefeller Republican refers to those members of the Republican party who hold moderate views similar to those of the late Nelson Rockefeller, governor of New York from 1959 to 1973 and vice president of the United States under President Gerald Ford in the mid... In a two-party system a third party is a party other than the two dominant ones. ...

External links

• Definition and citations from The Word Spy website
• RINO Watch from the Club for Growth, with a list as of 2004 of 72 RINOs
• RINO Hunters Club and RINO weblog from the National Federation of Republican Assemblies
• Mommy, What's a RINO?, from Public Broadcasting System P.O.V. Documentary film website
• Death of a RINO, a 2002 column by Robert Novak
• http://www.operationrino.com/, A Website dedicated to exposing RINOs in the GOP
• John Nichols, "Hunting for RINOs" published in The Nation, September 13, 2004, p. 30-37.
• SavetheGOP.com A Website dedicated to opposing RINOs in the GOP