[grania]

The way I look at it is the "tea party" gave constitutional conservatives plenty of financing to be elevated to being serious contenders for nominations. At that point, it was up to them to inspire voters with their vision and passion, just as Cruz, Paul, Lee and some others have done. We've been stung so many times with frauds such as Jeff Flake and Kelli Ayotte that people are going to be much more cautious about these new-wave conservatives.

The issues we care about affect all US citizens. We might be better off articulating them across the political spectrum rather than be backstabbed by someone we supported. A lot of these conservatives who lost don't have a voting record on the issues.

[tanknetter]

I agree completely.

But there also needs to be an acknowlegement that Conservatives have been stung by the incompetence of candidates like Akin an Mourdock too.

Launching in on anyone who raises that point, or that GOPe candidates running in Blue states/districts where Tea Party candidates can’t win are worse than Dem\Liberal candidates isn’t ... helpful. I consider myself to be a Reagan Conservative first, Republican second. I believe that my long term posting history here supports tgst. As do, I think, a lot of other Freepers who raise the same issues as me. Insulting us by ramping up the personal attacks and insults for our somewhat more pragmatic view when it comes to electoral politics serves no real purpose other than to perpetuate unnecessary divisiveness.