[Servant of the Cross]

Compare and contrast - Cantor v Brat in VA and Graham v Bright/et al in SC ...

I think the different results had more to do with the respective incumbents than the challenger(s). Cantor is singularly repulsive. Yes, Flimsey Tinkerbelle is too, but obviously not to a lot (>177,000) of South Carolinians.

Cochran is another example where the incumbent is so bad, they'll lose. But, how do we repeat Brat's success against an incumbent who doesn't beat themselves?

[Servant of the Cross]

Compare and contrast - Cantor v Brat in VA and Graham v Bright/et al in SC ...

This [Brat v Cantor] was a race in which conservative media, talk radio and the internet, played a large role. Mark Levin and Laura Ingraham gave powerful support to Brat, while blogger Mickey Kaus was relentless in his coverage of Cantor's flaws.

So why didn't Levin, Ingraham, Palin, others ... also send some love toward Lee Bright?

[Servant of the Cross]

Turnout was low, with a rainy day depressing normally low primary turnout. But the enthusiasm and commitment of Brat’s supporters, who had been canvassing for him extensively, in the absence of any real financial support.

Nowadays, a political campaign is a long hard slog. You can't underestimate the necessary GOTV activities and having a huge network of supporters "canvassing extensively". A House seat has such a smaller area to canvass than a statewide Senate race.

[nathanbedford]

Ronald Reagan was fond of saying, "if they will not see the light make them feel the heat." Many Republicans will now feel the heat. Others, like Senator Orrin Hatch in Utah, cleverly gamed the system by pretending to have seen the light and turned right. He got his reelection and immediately turned left.

Nevertheless, the Cantor defeat is a victory because other would be Rinos are in the position of the Soviets about Star Wars, they could not be sure that it would not work and Rino Republicans cannot be sure they will not be dealt out of the game like Cantor.

The point is to build momentum toward seeing the light.

[9YearLurker]

And Graham isn’t repulsive?

[grania]

how do we reoeat...

By being better, MUCH BETTER than the opponent. The ones who didn't win when they had the backing to get the spotlight made serious mistakes and/or seemed as the campaign got rough to be less than sincere about their conservative credentials.

Look at McDaniels and Brat. They developed stronger, more focused conservative voices when they were unfairly smeared by the RINO ptb onslaught.

PS to the establishment: stopping the invasion of the US and sending home invaders is not negotiable.

[lonestar]

I think it's easier to unseat an incumbent when it's one on one.

When there are a half-dozen good candidates it is a lot harder for voters to get behind one of the challengers.