Super PAC To Defend Moderate Republicans Against Tea Partiers (MUST. HELP. DEMOCRATS!)

talkingpointsmemo.com ^ | 12/4/13 | Daniel Strauss

[cotton1706]

A new super PAC seeks to bolster moderate Republicans in a number of House and Senate races where ultra-conservative groups are threatening to snap up Republican nominations.

The Defending Main Street PAC could target up to ten races including in Illinois, Maine, Michigan and West Virginia in the 2014 primary election cycle, setting itself up to fight far-right counterparts like the Club for Growth and the Senate Conservatives Fund.

"We're getting a lot of calls to not only defend but go in and defend a lot of center right candidates against a couple of incumbents in Michigan," former Rep. Steve LaTourette (R-OH), who helped found the group, told TPM. "We haven't made that decision yet because I have to sort out in my own head because the name of the thing is Defending Main Street and I'm basically criticizing people for sticking their nose in Republican primaries."

So far the PAC, which is associated with the 19-year old Republican Main Street Partnership has already committed to defending Rep. Mike Simpson (R-ID) against tea party challenger Bryan Smith.

Defending Main Street PAC plans to raise $8 million in this election cycle; by contrast the Senate Conservatives Fund handled $12 million in 2012 and expects to raise even more this time around.

Main Street hasn't made final decisions yet, but they're looking at defending Rep. Rodney Davis' (R-IL) seat, supporting two challengers against tea party incumbents in Michigan, and backing Rep. Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV) in her Senate race. The Michigan House seats the group could go after are held by Reps. Kerry Bentivolio (R-MI) and Justin Amash (R-MI); Main Street would back David Trott and Brian Ellis.

[cripplecreek]

Interestingly enough, FAR left democrat Jocylen Benson has changed her mind about challenging Kerry Bentivolio.

Bentivolio is probably one of the best tea partiers in Washington today. He doesn’t make a lot of noise but you can count on him to vote constitutionally better than 95% of the time.

[FlingWingFlyer]

I can see a lot of BIG DemocRAT donors helping them out too. They’re going to need to get some money from somewhere.

[Servant of the Cross]

Steve LaTourette 'Reeks' and he certainly does not represent "Main Street".

Upon closer inspection, LaTourette’s effort is not really about bringing centrist ways to govern, but about setting up a sophisticated get rich scheme through multiple avenues. By using Main Street Advocacy to replace true limited-government congressmen with big-government members, he can help his lobbying clients profit from government growth.

[FlingWingFlyer]

"The Defending Main Street PAC"

Only a commie liberal 'RAT could come up with a name like that. I smell a Georgie Soros.

[NeoCaveman]

"We're getting a lot of calls to not only defend but go in and defend a lot of center right candidates against a couple of incumbents in Michigan,"

This sentence jumble doesn't make sense. It obscures that they are targeting 2 incumbent Republicans which is exactly what they bitch about Club for Growth doing.

[cripplecreek]

Michelle Malkin traced the Republican Main Street Coalition back to George Soros.

[FlingWingFlyer]

Really?! I was just being a smart***. However, the name of this group DOES SOUND LIBERALISH.

[cripplecreek]

I’m too busy to dig deep right now but here she points out the Soros connection back in 2005.

http://michellemalkin.com/2005/11/10/letters-to-the-gop/

[FlingWingFlyer]

Thanks. I’ll check it out. I figured this was what was going on.

[JoeFromSidney]

Well, we need to dig deep and support the Tea Party candidates. However, money is not enough. We need campaign workers. Yard signs, bumper stickers, door-to-door get-out-the-vote campaigns, and so on. That takes warm bodies. Get in there and get your feet wet. You might even find you enjoy it.

[ZULU]

Any candidaite backed by this crypto-Democrat lobby should be opposed.

[Extremely Extreme Extremist]

Let's just let the Dems win, so we can get this show on the road. I'm tired of Republicans acting conservative as candidates only to become de-facto Dems.

If Dems hold power, people will open their eyes.

[mrsmith]

If the RINOs win the primary, then throw a 3rd party cabdidate at them in the election.

Yes, the Dem will probably win then... but in 2014 I think it will be justified.
BOTH Parties will be frightened by the act.

So get some good candidates ready you 3rd Parties. This is a once in a lifetime opportunity.

[Venturer]

Might as well have a Democrat in office as a RINO.

[mrsmith]

I usually don’t take that line- the RINO counts for House organization and isn’t as bad as the Dem usually.

But this time is different. A point HAS to be made.
(And I think we can hold the majority in the House anyway.)

I hope the 3rd Parties don’t ignore this chance and they get good candidates registered, ready and able.

[mrsmith]

Nah, these races need 3rd Party candidates if the RINOs win the primary. Serious candidates.

Libertarians (just for an example) could afford to pay for some House campaigns and would have an excellent chance in races like these.