The Highlander Theory of the GOP

[cali]

<snip>

The cycle of anointment and repudiation echoes the 2012 GOP primaries, when Republicans elevated one candidate after another: Michele Bachmann, Herman Cain, Newt Gingrich, Rick Perry, and Rick Santorum. When voters finally settled on Romney, the candidate had lower favorability and higher unfavorability ratings than any presidential nominee in modern history.

GOP strategist Rick Wilson calls this "the Highlander theory," after the '90s TV show about the Scottish warrior who needs to behead other immortals because there can be only one. Ted Cruz became The One by eclipsing Rubio, who had ascended only a few months earlier. "Ted Cruz and Marco Rubio made similar mistakes in opposite directions," says Ben Domenech, a senior fellow at the Heartland Institute and the publisher of The Federalist. "Rubio obviously tacked toward the center with a push for coming together on immigration policy, and that did damage to his standing with the conservative base. Cruz on the other hand tacked to the right in a way that helped his standing with base but hurt [his] standing with centrists who had been previously open to the idea of him."
This division in the party—with the right driving for purity and the establishment bristling—was most recently evident in the government shutdown. But its imprint is visible in the burgeoning field of Senate and House competitions, too. Almost a dozen Republican House members, such as longtime Idaho Republican Mike Simpson, are facing primaries from the right, with more challenges expected before the cycle begins next year. "This is a key moment for the Tea Party to decide how best to use its resources and whether to really go in behind candidates who need support [against Democrats], as opposed to wasting resources against candidates who have marginal difference from people who might challenge them" from the right, Domenech says.

But the Highlander theory could have the greatest impact on the Senate. Already, six Republican incumbents—Minority Leader Mitch McConnell and Senators Lindsey Graham, Thad Cochran, Michael Enzi, Pat Roberts, and Lamar Alexander—face primary challenges from the right. Most of those seats aren't at risk of a Democratic takeover, but the internecine battles there could distract attention from the task of winning a Senate majority. The real question, Wilson says, is "how much money are you willing to spend to knock off these guys, and how many dollars does [the internal fight] take from [the fight against] Landrieu, Pryor, and Begich? Those guys are getting a free ride because we're more willing to chase purity and keep 40 votes then we're willing to go out and get Democrats that are weak." And there have been rumblings about challenges for other senators, such as Texas conservative John Cornyn, No. 2 in GOP leadership.

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http://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2013/10/the-em-highlander-em-theory-of-the-gop/280868/

[Egnever]

1. Lindsay Graham

In my dreams!

[cali]

2. Lindsay looks sane and moderate compared to his challengers

[Egnever]

7. Bite your tongue

Sane and moderate in the same sentence as lindsay = you lose the internet!

i would love to see him primaried out even of we get someone nuttier than him. Lindsay has connections the new nuttier version would just be a derp walking around.

[cali]

8. yeah, list that amoungst things I thought I'd never say but

here's where I think you're wrong: A teabagger replacement would just strengthen the power of baggers in Congress. I don't see that as a good thing.

[dem in texas]

3. John Cornyn is Ripe

He has run his course in Texas. You can tell he is scared, but not of a Democratic contender. He's afraid of the primary and a tea party nut. He is saying more and more right wing rhetoric.

I wish one of the Castro twins would run against him. What a great ticket the Texas Dems would have with Wendy Davis and a Castro.

Just wait and see, Texas will be blue in a few years.

[cali]

4. That would be great.

and it will be great to see TX go blue.

[TexasTowelie]

5. I never understood his attraction to the voters.

Other than his connections to GWB there is nothing about him that would make me consider voting for him.

[TexasTowelie]

6. Just remember when the Republican of the Moment a few months ago was Dr. Ben Carson?

That lasted about as long as it takes soda to lose its fizz.

[cali]

9. Carson was never a candidate. for anything.

[TexasTowelie]

10. You are correct,

but there was a bit of talk about him being a possible nominee. He merely was the GOP flavor of the month.