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Overthrow a Sign of Tea-Party Clout
WSJ ^ | May 9, 2010 | Stu Woo

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 ...


TOPICS: News/Current Events; Politics/Elections; US: Utah
KEYWORDS: bennett; demint; gopprimary; teaparty; ut2010
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To: AzaleaCity5691
In Utah, the convention chooses the nominees. Since there was no clear winner, and Bennett came in third in the delgate vote, the top two are having a runoff.

Sucks to be him. That the Wards weren't all behind him, and the Temple tells the Wards how to think, cost him.

21 posted on 05/09/2010 6:37:03 PM PDT by jonascord (We've got the Constitution to protect us. Why should we worry?)
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To: AzaleaCity5691
In Utah, the convention chooses the nominees. Since there was no clear winner, and Bennett came in third in the delgate vote, the top two are having a runoff.

Sucks to be him. That the Wards weren't all behind him, and the Temple tells the Wards how to think, cost him.

22 posted on 05/09/2010 6:38:06 PM PDT by jonascord (We've got the Constitution to protect us. Why should we worry?)
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To: FTJM

RINOs in Utah are held to a higher standard.


23 posted on 05/09/2010 6:38:08 PM PDT by Paladin2
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To: CPT Clay

True and I hear she is not running again.


24 posted on 05/09/2010 6:40:17 PM PDT by Carley (WE CAN SEE NOVEMBER FROM OUR HOUSE)
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To: jonascord

You’ve basically confirmed that Utah is a defacto theocracy.

Having actually gone there on business before I already knew this. But I would figure that they would far rather do something like this in a primary itself than through a convention. Mitt Romney managed to get 89% of the vote in a primary and we all know there was only one reason for that.

With a convention you run the risk of non-Mormon interests having a vehicle with which they could use to fight Temple control of the state. Then again, I don’t live there and I’m not a Mormon elder so I guess I shouldn’t speak on these things


25 posted on 05/09/2010 6:42:54 PM PDT by AzaleaCity5691
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To: jonascord

Jonas, you’re stuttering again.


26 posted on 05/09/2010 6:45:16 PM PDT by tx_eggman (Liberalism is only possible in that moment when a man chooses Barabas over Christ.)
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To: FTJM

Our only chance of saving the Republic is to vote all incumbents out of office.
Good, bad or ugly. They have to go. Corruption is too deep.


27 posted on 05/09/2010 6:45:30 PM PDT by marygam ((Obama is not a messiah, wake up folks!))
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To: ez
Sarah Palin is a populist.

Suggest you re-read your American history.

As a political movement, "populism" is a coalition of so-called "little people" who demand government intervention in their favor vis-a-vis "big corporations" and "the rich".

See Bryant, William Jennings.

Anybody who wants smaller, less intrusive government -- as Palin does -- is demonstrably not a "populist".

28 posted on 05/09/2010 6:49:12 PM PDT by okie01 (THE MAINSTREAM MEDIA: Ignorance on Parade)
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To: wny

For two years now the lamestream press has been lamenting a lack of leadership in the Republican Party. Who is the leader of the GOP they asked as though they were concerned with our welfare. Article after article pointed to a party wandering aimlessly in search of a purpose and wondering who was in charge. Thanks to the Tea Party movement we have finally answered that question. “The people” have seized control of the Republican Party, and woe unto the politician who fails to listen to them.


29 posted on 05/09/2010 6:52:08 PM PDT by csmusaret (Remember, half the people in this country are below average)
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To: AzaleaCity5691
You can’t be populist and conservative at the same time.

Why not. Conservatism means being opposed to government intervention in the marketplace, period. That means no bailouts and no subsidies for financial firms and corporations. That's what driving the Tea Party movement.

Populism has many definitions. You're thinking in terms of left-leaning populism, the kind that Democrats used to advocate.

30 posted on 05/09/2010 6:59:55 PM PDT by Extremely Extreme Extremist (Obamunism: You have two cows. The regime redistributes them and shoots you dead)
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To: okie01

Noun
S: (n) populism (the political doctrine that supports the rights and powers of the common people in their struggle with the privileged elite)


31 posted on 05/09/2010 7:19:32 PM PDT by jpsb
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To: AzaleaCity5691

Each State political party can set their own nominating guidelines.


32 posted on 05/09/2010 7:25:16 PM PDT by no dems
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To: Extremely Extreme Extremist; AzaleaCity5691

Jack Kemp, may he rest in peace, was a Conservative Populist.


33 posted on 05/09/2010 7:27:10 PM PDT by no dems
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To: AzaleaCity5691
You can’t be populist and conservative at the same time. It doesn’t work like that.

It works exactly like that.

There are populist conservatives and populist liberals.

34 posted on 05/09/2010 7:47:56 PM PDT by Graybeard58 (No Romney,No Mark Kirk (Illinois), not now, not ever!)
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To: AzaleaCity5691

I was going to say the same thing. How in the world could a Conservative candidates who swears to represent Conservative ideals be termed a “populist”. First the GOP says we need more “moderates” to win elections, and now they are trying to paint Tea-Party backed candidates who support TRUE Conservative ideals of smaller government, and Freedom as populist? The idea is laughable frankly... What will they try next?


35 posted on 05/09/2010 7:48:25 PM PDT by LibertyRocks (http://libertyrocks.wordpress.com ~ Anti-Obama Gear: http://cafepress.com/NO_ObamaBiden08)
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To: ez

I think you may be confusing “Popular” with “Populist”.


36 posted on 05/09/2010 7:49:37 PM PDT by LibertyRocks (http://libertyrocks.wordpress.com ~ Anti-Obama Gear: http://cafepress.com/NO_ObamaBiden08)
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To: Parley Baer

The Maine Republican Party had our Convention last weekend, and on Saturday 5/8 passed a new platform that completely replaces the former one.

http://paintmainered.ning.com/forum/topic/show?id=2731571:Topic:31119

- OR - :

http://paintmainered.ning.com/forum/attachment/download?id=2731571%3AUploadedFi38%3A31117

I was a Delegate there, and frankly didn’t think that it stood the proverbial snowball’s chance - so was quite pleasantly surprised when it did!

The “Progressive / Moderate” Republicans, the Democrats, and the media are virtually apoplectic, needless to say.

There are a couple of things in there that I would have left out... like “Austrian Economy”.. what’s up with that??

It is, however, no less than a R3Volutionary document to get past the Snowe / Collins party establishment!

Gee; you’d almost think that there was a Tea Party in the house up here in dark blue People’s Ripublik of Maine, wouldn’t ya?


37 posted on 05/09/2010 8:17:25 PM PDT by George Varnum (Liberty, like our Forefather's Flintlock Musket, must be kept clean, oiled, and READY!)
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To: AzaleaCity5691
Then again, I don’t live there and I’m not a Mormon elder so I guess I shouldn’t speak on these things

You got that right. Anyone thinks that the Mormon church had anything to do with Bennett's loss is shocking misinformed about this race.

It really is embarrassing for you.

38 posted on 05/09/2010 10:17:29 PM PDT by GreyMountainReagan ("Pray for America")
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To: jonascord
That the Wards weren't all behind him, and the Temple tells the Wards how to think, cost him.

Laughably stupid comment. It was Bennett's vote on the bailout that cost him.

Mormon church had zero to do with it.

39 posted on 05/09/2010 10:18:56 PM PDT by GreyMountainReagan ("Pray for America")
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To: FTJM; All

40 posted on 05/10/2010 2:10:56 AM PDT by backhoe (Just an Old Keyboard Cowboy, ridin' the trakball into America's Twilight...)
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