The real question is, how did the GOP even get to the point where a Franken could even come close to being elected? Playing silly Beltway games that emphasized policies that they thought would get them elected (No Child Left Behind, Free Drugs for Seniors), passing out pork, working with lobbyists and believing their own BS about how limited government and spending restraint didn’t “sell” and that “Compassionate Conservatism” was the vote winner.
Bingo. Once in the majority, they became mirror images of their supposed enemy.
From a logistics standpoint, they have still failed to create any kind of effective boots-on-the-ground organizing entity that could create a strong grassroots party. But, of course, that is likely intentional: the last thing the Repubs or the Dems want is the hoi poloi actually interfering in the governing process.
Fortunately for all of us, the Tea Party movement took that out of their hands.