House GOPer brags: "I was the first to call Obama a socialist"

Rep. Paul Broun, who is running for senate in Georgia, boasted about fighting "tooth-and-nail" against Obama

Published February 13, 2013 10:09PM (EST)

 Rep. Paul Broun, R-Ga.         (Facebook/RepPaulBroun)
Rep. Paul Broun, R-Ga. (Facebook/RepPaulBroun)

Rep. Paul Broun, R-Ga., who is running for senate in 2014, played up his right-wing cred in a fundraising email, boasting that he was the first one to label President Obama "a socialist," also noting that his record and that of Ron Paul "are virtually identical."

As the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports, Broun has been publicly playing the cool contender since announcing his run last week. But on the side to potential donors, he's brandishing his Tea Party background. "I was the first Member of Congress to call him a socialist who embraces Marxist-Leninist policies like government control of health care and redistribution of wealth," Broun wrote in an email.

He continued:

Truth be told, except for foreign policy, Ron Paul's voting record and mine are virtually identical and I wear it as a badge of honor when I'm accused of being a strict constitutionalist who doesn't bend or break when it's tempting to do so….

In Congress last session I was honored to enjoy a close friendship with TEA Party favorite Lt. Colonel Allen West from Florida.

On the Senate side, I'm a staunch ally of now retired Senator Jim DeMint of South Carolina -- and of course, Senator Rand Paul of Kentucky….

Broun, who is running to replace retiring Republican Saxby Chambliss, recently said that "All that stuff I was taught about evolution and embryology and the Big Bang Theory, all that is lies straight from the pit of Hell." He has also previously referred to the Civil War as “the War of Yankee Aggression.”


By Jillian Rayfield

Jillian Rayfield is an Assistant News Editor for Salon, focusing on politics. Follow her on Twitter at @jillrayfield or email her at jrayfield@salon.com.

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2014 Elections Barack Obama Georgia House Republicans Paul Broun Socialism