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GOP Govs Back Down, Request Stimulus Funds

Ambitious conservatives cave on most federal aid dollars

By Gabriel Winant, Newser User

Posted Apr 10, 2009 10:56 AM CDT

(Newser) – Tough talk about rejecting stimulus funds earned some GOP governors—and presidential hopefuls—plenty of headlines, but reality has set in, Politico reports. Under fire from their legislatures, Bobby Jindal, Mark Sanford, and Sarah Palin have all requested funds in the past week. “At this point it looks like everybody’s on board with the program,” said an OMB rep.

“We’ve tried to compromise in a variety of different way," said Sanford. “I got beaten up pretty bad on it.”

[Images (3)]

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In a Wednesday, Jan. 14, 2009 file photo, South Carolina Republican Gov. Mark Sanford gestures as he gives his State of the State address, at the State house in Columbia, S.C. (AP Photo/Mary Ann Chastain, File)

Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin speaks during the Republican Governors Association Annual Conference in Miami, Thursday, Nov. 13, 2008. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky)

Gov. Haley Barbour, left, of Mississippi, and Bobby Jindal of Louisiana, participate in Miami Wednesday, Nov. 12, 2008, for their annual Republican Governors Association Conference. (AP Photo John Watson-Riley)

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What we saw was Gov. Sanford playing chicken and he got run over. - Hari Sevugan, spokesman for the Democratic National Committee

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GOP Govs Back Down, Request Stimulus Funds