Leading Republicans Move to Stamp Out Challenges From Right

NY Times ^ | March 8, 2014 | Carl Hulse

[Olog-hai]

As conservative activist groups stirred up trouble for establishment Republican Senate candidates in 2010 and 2012, party leaders in Washington first tried to ignore the insurgents, then tried to reason with them, and ultimately left it to primary voters to settle the matter. […]

This election season, Republicans led by Senator Mitch McConnell of Kentucky are taking a much harder line as they sense the majority within reach. Top congressional Republicans and their allies are challenging the advocacy groups head on in an aggressive effort to undermine their credibility. The goal is to deny them any Senate primary victories, cut into their fund-raising and diminish them as a future force in Republican politics.

“I think we are going to crush them everywhere,” Mr. McConnell, the Senate Republican leader, said in an interview, referring to the network of activist organizations working against him and two Republican incumbents in Kansas and Mississippi while engaging in a handful of other contests. “I don’t think they are going to have a single nominee anywhere in the country.” …

[headstamp 2]

How dare the base of the party put it’s priorities over the corporate lobbyists in the GOPe.

[nathanbedford]

Just how much zeal do you suppose McConnell, who just reiterated his war against grassroots Republican groups, will have in defending these groups against proposed IRS regulations designed to destroy them?

[Kansas58]

You are being silly. I have been active in Republican politics for well over 35 years, and Pat Roberts is NOT the enemy. I can remember when a large number of elected Republicans took campaign contributions from George Tiller and did not support the 2nd Amendment and were tax and spend liberals. Pat Roberts might not have liked the methods of the conservative grass roots, but he never wavered in his conservative voting record, and he never tried to undercut a conservative candidate. Milton Wolf HURTS the conservative cause and he needs to shut up and go away.

[Aria]

Al Franken, Harry Reid, etc etc are morons and yet they win.

Why can’t Wolf? Is he just an inexperienced campaigner?

[Kansas58]

Involved in a messy lawsuit with his business.
Posted awful x-rays of gunshot victims on his Facebook page.
Has been caught being a fake and fraud on many issues.
Has rarely ever voted.
Has not contributed to any campaigns at all in his life.
Wolf is a fraud.

[KC_Lion]

Al Franken, Harry Reid, etc etc are morons and yet they win.

Well, Brevity is the soul of wit.

You said it better than I could Aria. If Al Franken can win than our side shouldn't count anyone out.

[Mr. K]

is he being primaried???

WE HAVE TO take out at least one huge name

Cornyn squeaked by- but he did not even get 60% of the GOP base to vote for him- a horrible result for AN INCUMBENT

[KC_Lion]

No No No, you are talking about Obama!

Oh Wait........

[Olog-hai]

Gotta watch out for the panderers that try to ride in on the bandwagon. Quite a few of those came in back in 2010, which helped the GOP-e’s resurgence cause the grand defeat of 2012.

[vicar7]

Having beg my own party to get cloture on a bill is no winner for me. Winning the Senate means nothing if you are still a Surrender Caucus. GOP has no idea how to lead they have proved it over and over again. They have those shiny bleached white flags always at the ready. They are not conservative and have no principles.

[FreeReign]

Just how much zeal do you suppose McConnell, who just reiterated his war against grassroots Republican groups, will have in defending these groups against proposed IRS regulations designed to destroy them?

Exactly.

And I would add how much zeal will the Republican establishment have to prevent voting fraud in Republican primaries where there are Tea Party challengers involved.

That's right I said it!

Potential voting fraud in Republican primaries where the GOP-e works hand in glove with the Democrats to defeat Tea Party candidates in primaries.

[mulligan]

Mitch is dumber than a rock. With his ‘so-called’ leadership the Republicans get closer to distinction, day by day. Only fools would follow today’s Republican Party. May the conservatives win the day and get the nation back on the ‘right’ track.

[Kansas58]

Al Franken had the media on his side.
Conservatives never will.
Conservative candidates must be nearly perfect, with polished and professional speaking styles and no dirty laundry.
That is how it is.
Deal with it or lose.

[Olog-hai]

Reagan was not free of dirty laundry (divorced and remarried) and still won.

[KC_Lion]

I don't know, that sounds like we are fighting the battle on THEIR terms.

That is why our side panics at every little controversy and tosses anyone overboard that might rock the boat (so to speak)

That is how we get into situations like the one we are in now, "Be Part of the Get Along Gang or have that time you Paralleled Parked in a no Parrnell Parking Zone Brought up"

So the Senators and congressmen offer tepid resistance but in the end they do not roll back any of big government.

[dowcaet]

If the GOP does win back the senate I hope for once they have some guts to put in new leadership with no skeletons in their closet. McConnell in the senate and Boehner in the house are both compromised individuals with things to hide and the Democrats have them by the you know what. They’re the two biggest obstacles in trying to push back the left.

[Kansas58]

Reagan was not an idiot.
Wolf is an idiot, at least in public relations terms.

[KC_Lion]

Hilkary's hands are so soaked with Vince Foster's and Chris Steven's Blood you think she was Mr. Blonde. Yet she is still the Favorited choice from everyone for 2016.

We can't beat the Dems using their play book? Fine, we won't play their game.

Arminius couldn't beat Publius Quinctilius Varus on his terms either.

[Kansas58]

Actually, it is wise to learn from your enemy.
Remember General Patton, played by George C. Scott?
“Rommel, I read your @@@@ book!”

Strategy requires that we take into account the game plans of our enemy. Our candidates must be near perfect. If not, they will not have my support in the primary.

PERIOD!

[KC_Lion]

And Rommel Lost 58...He Lost.

So Pat Roberts doesn't have ANY Skeletons in his closet? None?