Yes, it's a hard call on what the GOP response to this should be. Do they...
1. Allow the most rabid members of the left (like Tucker) continue to be the face of the Democrat Party, or
2. Enjoin the debate and refute the charges as a long term, formal strategy.
Right after the Lott gaffe, I leaned toward 2.
But after observing the feeding frenzy of the GOP haters, I think 1. might be the way to go. Let them foam at the mouth. In painting the whole south with the brush of racism, they'll drive every single white person down there to the GOP.