Why conservatives balk at moderate GOP nominees (Sometimes party loyalty demands too much)

theweek.com ^ | 5/27/14 | W. James Antle III

[cotton1706]

J

ohn Cornyn — or whoever runs his Twitter account — is on a roll.

The Texas Republican senator was recently heckled by someone who called Cornyn a "RINO" — Republican in name only, for the uninitiated — and suggested Tea Party conservative Katrina Pierson should have run against him.

"Did so great against Pete Sessions," Cornyn retorted. (Sessions, a nine-term Republican from Texas, defeated Pierson in the primary by a massive 64 percent to 36 percent.)

Pierson's fans protested, but Cornyn wasn't done yet. Faced with protests from the supporters of other defeated Tea Party candidates — a tally that now includes Matt Bevin, failed challenger to Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell — Cornyn tweeted this:

"Anyone who calls themselves Conservative or Republican, who doesn't vote for the nominee of the party in the general election is neither."

Boom!

It's not hard to see Cornyn's point — conservatives should want the GOP to win, and should thus always support GOP candidates, even when they're aren't the most reliably or truly conservative.

But are true conservatives really required to vote for any GOP nominee in order to hold onto the conservative mantle?

Remember, Arlen Specter was elected to the Senate five times as a Republican before giving the Democrats a filibuster-proof majority in 2009. George W. Bush and Rick Santorum helped him beat back a competitive GOP primary challenger in 2004; six years later he lost the Democratic primary. Were Pennsylvania conservatives abandoning their duty if they ever failed to vote for Specter — a man who wound up turning on them?

This is hardly an isolated example. Charlie Crist ran against Republican Marco Rubio for Senate as an independent when it became clear he couldn't win the GOP primary in 2010.

[cotton1706]

Good article, which reflects how we all think. We are told that we always have to support the republican nominee but I doubt John Cornyn gave John Warner a call to berate him for endorsing Mark Warner. And I doubt he gave Richard Lugar a call to berate him for endorsing Michelle Nunn.

And I know he didn't call Lisa Murkowski in 2010 to encourage her to support Joe Miller.

[Engraved-on-His-hands]

Why? Because they believe the polar opposite of what we believe on the issues that are most important to us? Do you think that might be it? Why support your enemy?

[Engraved-on-His-hands]

In Roe v. Wade, 7 of the 9 justices were appointed by Republican Presidents.

In Lawrence v. Texas, 5 of the 9 justices were appointed by Republican Presidents.

We have met the enemy and he is us.

[jimbo123]

This John Cornyn?

[dirtboy]

Never mind the GOP-e backstabbing of Tea Party primary winners in 2010.

[demshateGod]

“...even when they’re aren’t the most reliably or truly conservative.”

There’s a big difference between most reliable, vacuously inept, and treasonously self-serving. Cornyn is one of the latter.

[NonValueAdded]

IOW, “shut up and eat the excrement sammich” sez the tweet.

[dadfly]

tell you what cornyn, why don’t you make that *rule* a condition of membership in your party. it’ll drive us “knuckle draggers and infertile hobbits” all the way out of your party. please. pretty please.

[JRandomFreeper]

Cornyn can bite me.

I won't be voting for him in the general election. That liberal bastard can win or lose without my vote.

/johnny

[fwdude]

A “moderate” is just a liberal who is afraid of the title.

[Logical me]

Here is the problem. Let Texas work it out. If Cornyn wins they we have to take in consideration what the speaker ship in the Senate would mean. Control of what goes up on the floor. The present communists Reid is a perfect example that the need for control will mean everything for passing good bills. Let the people of Texas who they want then we must work our ars off to get the R in control of the Senate, regardless a RINO or not.

[ansel12]

Cornyn’s remarks and insults, probably contributed to the results last night.

[grania]

I'm wondering if the results of votes in Europe, particularly England, haven't empowered voters to go with more conservative, anti-invasion candidates.

I've said this so many times. The candidates we favor have to be better, much better, than the RINOs. If they are, they win.

If it's questionable, they'll lose. We've been backstabbed too many times.

[JRandomFreeper]

First, the title is the Senate Majority Leader, not Speaker.

Second, Cornyn provided THE critical cloture vote for Reid's removal of the debt limit.

Cornyn supports Reid's agenda.

I don't care if the republicans get the senate because the leadership is liberal, and they will govern liberally, just like they did last time they had the majority.

Remember the gang of 14?

/johnny

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[wku man]

A Statist is a Statist, be he/she a 'Rat or a RINO. Vote for whom you believe, even if it means writing yourself in. If the 'Rats win, well, we'll just get to the nightmare scenario sooner rather than later.

Scouts Out! Cavalry Ho!

[COBOL2Java]

So, you're perfectly happy electing enablers? I guess all you see is Reid coming through the door of your house, and you never notice the Republican who is holding the door open for him.

I not only see the Republican traitor, I am nauseated when he tells me how "opposed" he is to what Reid's doing.

But go ahead and keep indiscriminantly pulling the lever for "R"s. They love it when you do that; it keeps the DemocRAT's minions (aka RINOs) inside the Beltway trough, frittering away your children's future.

[RatRipper]

Never mind the GOP-e backstabbing of Tea Party primary winners in 2010.

Amen!!! A big-time bump to dirtboy for that gem of truth.

I don't know why the e-GOP is so against the Tea Party. They created us by looking us straight in the eye and lying to us in election cycle after election cycle. It is virtually impossible to mend broken trust, especially when it is clearly premeditated and repetitious.

[itsahoot]

we must work our ars off to get the R in control of the Senate, regardless a RINO or not.

Already ate your peas I see.

[COBOL2Java]

Gotta love these Pollyanna Republicans, playing "The Glad Game" when it comes to filling the Senate and indiscrimantly jumping on the "R" bandwagon.

"Well golly gee! My father always used to say, get a Republican majority in the Senate - doesn't matter how - and we'd have steak and ice cream three times every day!