Posted on 05/09/2010 5:56:10 PM PDT by FTJM
Republican officials sought to unify the party after Saturday's tea-party driven ouster of three-term Utah Republican Senator Robert Bennett.
Mr. Bennett became the year's first victim of the anti-incumbent fervor sweeping through the Republican Party when he lost his bid for his party's nomination at a state GOP convention here. GOP activists blasted him as a Washington insider who had lost touch with Utah's conservative ideals and will instead nominate a tea party-backed populist candidate who promises adherence to conservative principles.
The GOP candidate hasn't yet been chosen, but it will be one of Mr. Bennett's two challengers, businessman Tim Bridgewater and lawyer Mike Lee, both favored by the tea party and who will face off in a June 22 primary. The winner will be favored to win the general election in this heavily Republican state.
Mr. Bennett has missed the filing deadline to run as an independent contestant, but he can run as a write-in candidate.
Mr. Bennett has missed the filing deadline to run as an independent contestant, but he can run as a write-in candidate. In congratulating his two opponents he appeared not to be favoring that option, and a Bennett spokeswoman on Sunday said a write-in campaign was unlikely.
(Excerpt) Read more at online.wsj.com ...
Methinks ole swimmer’s seat became the first victim of the tea party.
Too bad this did not happen fifteen years ago —
There was a time when Bennett was a fairly decent Senator. But he obviously didn’t have a clue about the feelings of his constituents, because he shifted left just as they were looking for the opposite.
I hope they find a good replacement.
Sounds like the people are taking control. The “insiders” are not going to like it.
You can’t be populist and conservative at the same time. It doesn’t work like that.
You can be a conservative who is populist on some things or a populist who is a conservative on some things but you just can’t be both because they are diametrically opposed ideologies.
Another thing. Why exactly is a convention held to determine who has the right to run in a primary? Last time I checked, primaries are supposed to be where voters select candidates themselves.
You sure about that?
It’s past time to make all “insiders” OUTsiders.
Yeah I am. I know exactly was populism is. Populism calls for the little people taking whatever they want by government force and distributing it amongst themselves, and of course, fighting for the “people” against those who “oppress” the people, whatever that happens to mean at the time.
Conservatism stands for the idea of no more government than necessary and the idea that there should be no unearned obligation free handouts to the able from the public treasury. Different concepts entirely.
Hugo Chavez is a populist. My point stands.
Scuzzafava was.
Sarah Palin is a populist.
His whining about the vote clears-up any doubts concerning his retirement.
After the delegates showed him the door, Bennett said that looking back on his votes, he would not have changed any of them.
Okay, Bob. Bu-bye.
He'd lived in DC for nearly two decades. All his friends were there and almost all of them, even the ones who called themselves as "conservatives" saw themselves as wiser than the rubes back home and much more able to chart the course of the country. In short, he became part of the problem.
Not to worry though, he'll most likely have a great career as a lobbyist.
It’s not “anti-incumbent fervor sweeping through the Republican Party”, it’s “anti-RINO fervor sweeping through the Republican Party”
You do not think that a Senator does not believe in constituent services when he brings in a boatload of pork for the benefit [of a few who will be generous with campaign contributions] of the constituents of his district.
Sucks to be him. That the Wards weren't all behind him, and the Temple tells the Wards how to think, cost him.
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