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 ...
I think the avg Republican voter is lazy and too busy to dig for the truth today regarding issues that are destroying the US.
One thing this column misses is that at the Local level here in GA several Tea Party challengers forced incumbants into run-offs and they have a strong chance of winning.
I think you need to wipe that McConnell off your chin.
I say such things because I am so utterly lacking in respect for you but I doubt you’re bright enough to figure it out on your own.
“Its worth the sacrifice of 2 seats “
You guys are so out of touch. You should try it and see what happens.
If the US Senate gets 60 ‘pubs with a half dozen or more true constitutional conservatives who cannot be siphoned off one issue at a time, the dialogue about conservative principles will get real. It’s worked that way in the HOR.
The only way to find the silver lining is to ditch Mitch in the general.
“If the US Senate gets 60 ‘pubs with a half dozen or more true constitutional conservatives who cannot be siphoned off one issue at a time, the dialogue about conservative principles will get real. It’s worked that way in the HOR.”
Yes, I think you’re right.
We had an upset last night here in Oregon. One of our R state reps got a challenger after he backed a tax levy, got endorsed by Planned Parenthood, accepted a campaign donation from a very left Dem state rep, & asked if it really was a crime to be a moderate.
Yes, as far as your voters are concerned!
That’s good to hear. Let’s remember, in Kentucky, “an incumbent is an incumbent”, sad but incumbents are hard to toss out with exceptions.
One of the problems with GOPe is that they lack honesty and integrity, that is why they lie about who they are, and what they support and will support, to weasel their way into office, and then to stay there.
You sure support strange politics to be on a conservative forum.
I just hope the Tea Party doesn’t give the Senate back to the the democRats by staying home.
Exactly. We’ve done it before, and it serves no good purpose. Not much good in making a point when it leaves you completely powerless.
A week or two ago, when the primaries were held in North Carolina and Ohio, Glenn Beck mentioned on his radio show the next day that the TEA Party won three races at the state level in one of those two states and five races at the state level in the other.
Of course the TEA Party is going to have good election nights and bad election nights. Over the many years, the same could be said of the Republican and Democrat parties.
The fight is just beginning.
Need a few more big primary wins to make the weakest Republicans wet their panties a little.
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I suspect Eric Cantor’s panties were a little damp after the booing, heckling and loss of “his man” to make sure the opposition had no representation. It was a definite slap in the face and should be a wakeup call .... will he ultimately win? Most likely. Will he continue to ignore his constituents as he machinates to be Speaker some day? Probably. But on one sunny Saturday, ‘We the People’ sent Prince Eric a message and he had no choice but to receive it. One step/politician/RINO at a time .... change definitely won’t happen overnight, but when you see the damage being done to America and the loss of our liberty, it’s hard not to be very impatient.
Nothing has done more harm currently than having the IRS launch a protracted and completely illegal war against American citizens for their political beliefs. How many people who were a positive force - pro growth activists - had to gauge what they had to lose and simply entrenched themselves? Find your fists! Then use them for a purpose!
We have to be careful not to cut off our nose to spite our own face...People, our country’s future is as stake..Yes, we need to move towards more conservative values like our founding fathers created, but we also have to look at where our moralty and people are currently at in this country. Frankly, it’s lousy for those of us who are Christian conservatives, but I’ll tell you one thing...we HAVE TO START by TAKING BACK the SENATE! If this means we back a few middle of the road RINOS iT IS A NECESSARY EVIL to GET RID of the BIGGER EVIL in HARRY REID! Ben Carson said it best, “we cannot attack ourselves, so we need unity at the base levels if we are to make progress in the overall big picture”...
Stay home, get Hairy Reed
We are so screwed.
If you're going to go up against entrenched, seasoned GOP-E incumbents, you'd damn well better have a professional campaign, or at least give it your best effort. I can't speak for Matt Bevin's campaign, but Smith's sucked, even though I voted for him.
Scouts Out! Cavalry Ho!
When did the conservatives give the Senate to the democrats by staying home?
We can give you real examples of the GOPe defeating republicans to stop the tea party.
For example when they threw everything against the republican Senate candidate in Alaska, and supported an independent candidate over him.
Just to stop the tea party and Palin. It cost us the seat, in a squeaker.
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