Tea partier braces for primary challenge from the establishment

politico.com ^ | 12/22/14 | Manu Raju

[cotton1706]

Tea party favorite Mike Lee roiled the GOP establishment four years ago when he knocked off a sitting senator on his way to the Republican Senate nomination in Utah.

Now, the establishment might strike back.

As the 43-year-old Lee plots his 2016 reelection bid, he is courting business leaders under the radar, hoping to head off a primary challenge backed by business leaders and other establishment figures in his home state, like billionaire Jon Huntsman Sr., an influential bank CEO and a former Utah GOP party chairman.

Some powerful establishment Republicans in Utah are tired of Lee’s hard-line positions. He stood with Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas last year when the federal government closed and again this month when they tried to take on President Barack Obama on immigration but ended up giving Majority Leader Harry Reid of Nevada leverage to confirm controversial nominations.

So as Lee fights to make sure he doesn’t become the first tea party senator ousted by the party establishment, he’s effectively turned the Republican intraparty war that has defined Senate primary politics for the past four years on its head.

“I think I’m going to be OK,” Lee said when asked about lingering concerns about his performance in Congress in corners of Utah’s business

[forgotten man]

Mark Levin says to watch out for one of Romney’s sons to jump into the primary and try to take down Lee. Just what we need, a Romney dynasty.

[Praxeologue]

He stood with Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas ... when they tried to take on President Barack Obama on immigration but ended up giving Majority Leader Harry Reid of Nevada leverage to confirm controversial nominations.

If you repeat a lie often enough, many people will end up believing it.

[Oldeconomybuyer]

...Republicans in Utah are tired of Lee’s hard-line positions...

Hard-line positions like the constitution? This is why the GOP is a dead national political party. There are two America's. One in Washington DC, the other in the States.

[RicocheT]

Utah conservatives should be proud to back Sen. Mike Lee and shame on establishment Republicans for considering a primary challenge to Lee in 2016.

Here in Wisconsin, Ron Johnson talked conservative and showed up at TEA Party rallies when he was running for the Senate seat. Now that he is in, he has moved to the squishy middle and didn’t support Ted Cruz during the recent funding extension fracas.

[TBP]

Senator Lee needs our support.

[navyguy]

If the plaid jacket, establishment GOP goes after Mike Lee (instead of supporting him) we REALLY need to create a group whose only function is to rabid attack establishment GOP asshats. We need to publicly shame them with TV commercials an denigrate them at every opportunity. Destroy them in every way possible. Give them a reason to step down and step aside. Time for now blood that actually gives a damn about the average Joe. I have absolutely had enough of these destructive clowns.

[Rodamala]

This is pure hogwash.

Since when is Politico a valid form of news anyways? I refuse to read it same as I refuse to every visit DU, Huff-n'-Blow Post or that other one that I can't even remember it's name...