Posted on 09/01/2013 3:58:56 AM PDT by don-o
The tea party settled one question this afternoon at a meeting to audition candidates to challenge Sen. Lamar Alexander in next year’s GOP primary. Both Joe Carr and Kevin Kookogey promised they'll drop out of the picture if tea partiers are rallying behind the other guy.
Carr, a three-term state representative from Murfreesboro, took the pledge in his opening statement to the crowd of roughly 300 at the Sheraton Music City Hotel. It was the first of five meetings to vet potential challengers to Alexander and to conduct secret straw polls. At the end of September, tea partiers will add up the votes and decide which candidate to back. Carr said if it’s not him, he’s out.
We’re all here for one reason and one reason only, and that’s to beat Lamar Alexander for the United States Senate. Before I go any further, I’m going to tell you that this process is so important that we’ve got to unite around one candidate. However this process works out, I pledge to you that I will support that candidate because it’s that important. We as principled constitutional conservatives can no longer allow ourselves to be divided. We need one candidate who can run against Lamar who can win this election and carry the banner of constitutional conservatism to the United States Senate.
Kookogey, a former chairman of the Williamson County GOP, made a similar promise later in response to a question. Unlike Carr, who announced his candidacy this month, Kookogey hasn’t said whether he’ll run yet.
“The target is Lamar,” Kookogey said, adding that if he decides to run and “if Joe is polling ahead of me and he has more money, absolutely I would step aside and I would give him my money.”
This is bad news for Alexander, who hopes his opponents within the Republican Party will divide their votes in the primary. Splitting the conservative vote arguably is the only reason Bob Corker is a U.S. senator today. He won his primary in 2006 with fewer votes than the combined total of his two more conservative opponents. Bill Haslam did the same thing in his 2010 primary for governor.
Gee....imagine. Candidates that put standing for principles ahead of personal power, united against an internal traitor. Refreshing. I hope to see more than just a few faux Republican traitors fall in 2014.
If conservatives learn to back one challenger, instead of splitting their vote among several candidates, we are finally going to get some of these RINOs out of office.
Rumors of the Tea Parties death have been greatly exaggerated.
These old RINO’s had better wake up and vote right or they will find themselves out of a job.
Good. Stand firm & get rid of ALL the career politicians.
Tenn is winner take all - so we MUST land on ONE challenger. S Carolina has runoff, so a case can be made for multiple challengers.
Corker’s facebook has been very active lately. Every post he puts up gets blasted exposing his rinoism.
Make that.... Lamar!
Nixon’s silent majority lives
Sure perks up my interest in an otherwise irrelevant political process.
I would be thrilled to see that clown show Alexander sent packing.
Now they need to voluntarily commit to term limits. One and done! Lamar is a case study of incumbency.
He’s been Trent Lott-isized.
TES YES YES !!! Finally, I have been saying this for years
I think I’d do these term things a little differently.
The Six Year Senatorial term, I believe, was intended to provide a national emphasis and continuity of the bond between the states, and to their limited responsibilities to this abortion we now have - the Federal Government.
I think that the popular election of Senators was a big big effing mistake. More party unity and collaboration between the typical Senator, and state interests held by the state legislatures was evident, IMO. As it is today, each Senator is just a six year liar...do what the hell they want and then come home every 6 years to lie to their constituents. They are, essentially, an independent contractor who is only reviewed every 6 years. They are basically beholding to no one. If I had my way, I’d put it back to the state legislatures to elect each Senator, and then put the term back down to 4 years.
For Congressmen, I’d put their terms at three years...just enough time to get experienced in the workings of government, but not enough time to feather their nest. Their election would still be by local state district, but they should be subject to a recall by any state legislature garnering more than 3/4 of its members.
I’m a firm believer of States Rights and State Control over its elected member process to the Federal Government. We have too many rogues in Congress now beholding to no one but national special interest groups, the media, to their own power continuance, etc. Or, they are just plain bat-shit crazy like McCain.
Regardless, we need to take them out of play, even if it means Republicans lose.
Repeal of the 17th Amendment would be great—but the most important thing is to get to the root cause of corruption in the entire system: RE-ELECTION. One term for the Senate and two terms for the House would be sufficient.
Special interests own each incumbent. That’s why there is only one party in Washington: the re-Election Party.
The Tea Party represents the only group of true Americans left in the new USSA. Sadly, they are too few and too late to overcome the Obamination of America.
If the old guard want to continue thier boot licking, a## kissing and decieving the American people let them jump over to the rats they’re rats in the making and behind closed doors anyway. Besides what is worse than a rat you know is a rat, a rat that you presieve to be on your side
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