First Impression: The Tea Party hurt republicans more then democrats. (Vanity)

Nov 3, 2010 | self

[tlb]

Thanks to the Obama economic failure, this would be a Republican surge year regardless. In most races across the country, the scorned Independents broke for republicans giving them the margin of victory.

Haley and Toomey I'll credit to the Tea Party. Miller is still up in the air.

Past that, looking at the other big Tea Party races:

Rubio won not because of the Tea Party but thanks to the selfishness of Charlie Crist splitting the dem vote. Angle lost to the most unpopular dem senator in the nation, a man who COULDN'T win. Paladino was a humiliating disaster. Rove was absolutely correct: O'Donnell was hopeless, throwing away a senate seat Castle would have almost certainly won.

Not to mention the Hayworth and Devore failures in the primaries.

Overall, the losses substantially outweigh the wins.

Not saying the Tea Party is useless, I don't think it is at all. But dialing down the fantasy it will hereafter control the political dialogue and set the agenda may be a good idea. Just who can throw the most red meat to the base isn't enough.

[FlingWingFlyer]

And then there are those Mama Grizzlies in South Carolina and New Mexico. In Arizona, the scumbags Harry Mitchell and Anne Kirkpatrick are history. Giffords and La Raza boycott boy are wetting their pants.

[dead]

Sorry I was wrong. Fiorina was announcing that she was not conceding. She lost though.

[martinidon]

Thank you! Unfortunately, I think some of the Tea Party people will not get the message. It is okay to support the Conservative candidate but in some areas of the country a strict Conservative is not going to win. On top of that they run a “scorched earth” primary campaign and created a huge division within the Republican party. Case in point Delaware and Alaska.

[OneVike]

Amen brother, Amen.

I will die, before I allow the bastards to win.

[ncalburt]

Hello . The Seiu was in charge of the electronic voting booths and Soro’s Miller is the NV Sec of State.
The vote was done before election day.

[wardaddy]

yeah it’s funny...some folks here cloak for years just agitating the forum to male us look bad then one day they slip up with a dropped hint like that one

and there’s folks like you and me that notice...

i have found here over the years that if they act lib over culture then they probably are more lib than just that, but being snippy about culture war is first “tell”

[Jim Robinson]

Effing RINOs! Worthless!

[Arizona Carolyn]

What have you been smoking? Do you have any idea HOW MANY tea party candidates won today all across the country inb senate, congress, governor AND local elections? What in the hell do people like you want?

[Vendome]

Dude! You’re “dead” to me.

What do you mean she lost...though?

The numbers are less than 5% difference with only 30% of the precincts.

[AnotherUnixGeek]

Not saying the Tea Party is useless, I don't think it is at all. But dialing down the fantasy it will hereafter control the political dialogue and set the agenda may be a good idea.

Sorry, not sure what campaign and election you were watching but it's no fantasy - the Tea Party did control the political dialog and set the agenda in these elections: fiscal discipline in government and the rollback of government over-reach. These are issues that the mainstream GOP has no credibility on anymore.

The real lesson in this election was that candidates who ran on the Tea Party's agenda needed to have the credentials to be able to stick to that agenda and not get sidetracked by extraneous personal issues.

[paulycy]

if a human being is not going to vote in a conservative way then why should they call themselves a republican in the first place?

[Global2010]

History repeating itself 30yrs later.sigh

[dead]

The numbers are less than 5% difference with only 30% of the precincts.

I'd love to be wrong, but the outstanding districts don't look promising.

Besides, only Democrats are allowed to win the close ones in court, Al Gore excepted. He's a once in a generation loser.

[martinidon]

Unfortunately, the Tea Party needs some Rino’s just as much as the Rino’s need the tea party.

[Question Liberal Authority]

The type of primary you describe is a "semi-closed" primary. You are correct that Arizona has a semi-closed primary, where independents can vote in either party's primary.

However, that isn't the reason McCain won, IMO. Hayworth was ostracized and demonized, even by his own party. But McCain ran hard to the right, and it was impossible for him to go all Mavericky.

[dead]

Unfortunately, the Tea Party needs some Rino’s

Screw that.

Damn the torpedos. Full steam ahead.

[Jim Robinson]

RINOs be gone!

[roses of sharon]

Rinos in Nevada helped Reid, Rinos in Alaska helped Murk, and Rinos helped Coons.

This is the year that Rinos were exposed for what they are, and that is a good thing.

We all know now that the Republican Party’s love affair with Rinos is OVER!

Thanks to the Tea Party.

[Reddy]

We have a Republican governor in Ohio going into the 2012 presidential elections... that means a lot.

[vrwc1]

I’ll drink to that.