Posted on 05/21/2014 7:40:10 AM PDT by cotton1706
Defeats handed to Tea Party candidates last night only tell half the story—the Tea Party’s real success has been to change the very DNA of the GOP
The Tea Party got shut out on Tuesday night.
In Idaho, incumbent Rep. Mike Simpson easily defeated Bryan Smith, the Club for Growth-backed challenger. In Kentucky, businessman Matt Bevin got walloped by Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, and the two most establishment candidates made the runoff in the Republican Senate primary in Georgia.
Ironically enough, however, last night represented a big win for the Tea Party's conservative, small government ethos, and the extent to which Tea Party ideology is now cemented into the GOP is now plain to see.
Despite not having any candidates who draped themselves in Gadsden flags win marquee races on Tuesday, the election results showed the ultimate success of the Tea Party’s effort to change the very DNA of the GOP, as the median voter in a Republican primary has become far more conservative in the past few years. The “establishment” candidates may have won—but they did so by becoming increasingly conservative.
(Excerpt) Read more at thedailybeast.com ...
This may be a little Pollyannaish, but the outcome is more favorable than when we emerged with those great giants of the political scene like Todd Aiken, Linda McMahon, Sharon Angle, Christine O’Donnell, and Richard Mourdock.
Picking winners is tough as politicians are prone to say whatever we want to hear, but we have to pick Conservatives who can do two things: win, and behave like Conservatives once in office.
What about Tom Cotton, cotton1706?
There are others who aren’t officially “tea party” but do have tea party voter support like Terri Land in Michigan. She’s not a conservative firebrand but has a reputation for honesty and integrity. She’s a clear step up from Carl Levin and is to the right of John McCain.
So true. Look what we get to choose from in GA in the runoff for Saxby’s seat. Perdue will be Saxby’s third term and Kingston usually votes the right way but I don’t see him as the caped conservative crusader. Handel or Broun would have been so much better.
This article is the Daily Beast saying that the Tea Party has changed the Republican Party for the worse, from the Left’s perspective. That’s their propaganda line. Let’s not fall for it.
Land reminds me of Marsha Blackburn: not exactly TEA, but good and sharp and sympathetic to TEA concerns.
“What the TP should have done was target more, the open seats and vulnerable dem seats.”
Teaparty has morphed from anti democrat to anti republican. This is why they target republican incumbents.
But the one win was in Nebraska for an open seat. And if the retiring republican incumbent Mike Johanns had run, he would have beaten anyone by 50 points.
They will think more before making decisions that will irk us. They now know that we’ll fight back. That alone will affect some change.
They won’t want to be primaried to spend a bunch of cash. They now know that will happen.
I think the tea party has _been_ winning irrespective of any victories. A win is a cherry on top. Changing GOP behavior is the bigger win.
Just gotta keep it up.
Need a few more big primary wins to make the weakest Republicans wet their panties a little.
You make a good point - we are getting better candidates to put up.
Keep on keepin’ on...
“Terri Land in Michigan. She’s not a conservative firebrand but has a reputation for honesty and integrity.”
That would make her GOPe.
“They’ve been going all out to protect the senate”
Not really. We have had Harry Reid treat us like dirt. And we don’t like it. We are out to get him by hook or by crook and if we have to have run a communist in some states or a rabid conservative, WE DON’T CARE.
Reid has deliberately opposed legislation that democrats and republicans agree on. Most republicans run for US senate to make some positive changes and Reid has made the last 6 years a waste of everyone’s valuable time.
We are getting rid of Reid. We plan on getting a pickup of 10 seats in november none of whom will support Reid.
Reid is gone.
We are crushing unelectable teaparty candidates because they are in the way of delivering a historic butt beating of Harry Reid.
No, they *claimed* to be more conservative. No offense to the author, but that is SOP in the GOP primaries. Then they run "centrist" in the general and govern left of center when elected.
Regardless of what so called conservative positions they took in the campaign, I don't believe any GOPe will govern that way once elected. Especially in the Senate. 6 years? They consider that ascension to the throne. They don't have to honor any promises made to the hoi polli.
I am GOPe. Daines in Montana is more liberal than I would like. But I don’t care as long as he wins and Reid gets kicked to the curb.
I don’t really care what your pathetic moderate ass thinks.
You’re garbage and have no need to post to me. Remember it.
Wash times runs a column that says TP is on life support, and the beast correctly says they are winning the war.
Strange topsy turvy there.
In November, conservatives need to vote for the democrat candidate in McConnells race. Same for Boehner. Its worth the sacrifice of 2 seats and would create an atmosphere of shock and awe.
“You’re garbage and have no need to post to me.”
I fail to see why you should get to post whatever you want and not be challenged on it. Whenever I post here, I expect anyone who disagrees to challenge me on it.
If you want to do that, maybe you should start your own blog and make sure that the comments option is disabled.
Try that if you want to preach with no debate.
yup. Optimism can be good....but lately I equate it with wishful thinking. And that is suicide.
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