Tea Party could cost GOP nine Senate races this fall

[babsbunny]

http://www.salon.com/news/feature/2010/05/28/tea_party_senate_republicans/index.html

Uprisings by the GOP base could produce weak Republican candidates in some of this year's biggest races

By Steve Kornacki

Don't get me wrong: Republicans are still on course to perform well in November's midterm elections. But it's starting to look like they'll leave some money on the table -- maybe a lot of it.

The reason is simple: The Tea Party movement -- also known as the GOP base -- isn't that interested in working with the Republican Party establishment. In one key race after another, this could result in the GOP fielding candidates in the fall who are ideologically pure but electorally deficient.

The prime example of this is in Kentucky, a conservative state that never much cared for Barack Obama in 2008 and that has turned even more sharply against him, and against the national Democratic Party, since his presidency began. This, coupled with the feeble economy and the basic buyer's remorse nature of midterm elections, should make the contest to replace retiring Sen. Jim Bunning a cakewalk for the GOP.

[Swamp Rat]

1. Oil on the Gulf Coast will cost incumbents this Fall and beyond. eom

[Davis_X_Machina]

2. The obvious lesson....

... -- that rigid insistence on adherence to minority-of-a-minority party orthodoxy regardless of electoral outcome is in the long run a losing strategy -- will be lost on vast numbers of posters here, who pine for the day when the Democratic party does the same damn thing.

KUCINICH!

[Radical Activist]

8. Except that Democratic moderates aren't moving to the peoples' center.

They're moving closer to the positions of corporate donors. Those are two very different things. There's political advantage to being more progressive on some issue held by a majority of Americans. The desire to raise more from corporate donors is holding the party back. Trade, clean energy, and stronger banking reform are examples of issues where moving to the left would actually bring the party closer to what a majority of voters want. We should be honest that the "middle" we're moving to by compromising with corporate lobbyists has no real appeal among the electorate.

[w4rma]

12. exactly. (nt)

[gratuitous]

3. The GOP doesn't have its standard 4-1 fundraising advantage

They're going to have to budget their funds or make some tough decisions about who gets money from the party. This is why they're looking real hard at self-funding candidates like Carly Fiorina or Linda McMahon, people who can cover their own expenses and not look to the national party for help. The Tea Baggers just make that a little tougher. But as long as they're flailing in deep water, let's line up some anchors to toss them, mmmkay?

[MadMaddie]

9. Don't forget that Steele has been making disasterous financial

decisions on races that they have lost. Their funds are rapidly going away and Steele has pushed the RNC into chaos.

[bobbolink]

14. "Funds" are no longer a problem, thanks to the Supreme Court.

:shrug:

[LLStarks]

4. Tea Party candidate or not, people will vote GOP because the narrative right now says to. nt

[unapatriciated]

5. Don't get me wrong: Republicans are still on course to perform well in November's midterm elections.

based on what?

[rusty charly]

6. That was my thought.

That doesn't seem to be the CW at all.

[high density]

15. Based on the media says they want the GOP to do well

And they want what they say to be true.

[Kablooie]

20. I'm sure you're right. For some reason people think the GOP can fix everything. INSANITY!

[pinto]

7. (aside) Some some Republican complaints about the CA (R) Governor candidates'

focus on "wedge" issues and not the biggest three for our state - the recession and it's effects across the state, the budget, and the budget process.

[PSPS]

10. Gee, according to the WP today, the 'baggers are "sweping the nation" and will win seats!1!!1

[localroger]

11. I don't know where the 'on track to do well' CW comes from

I have read the next election to be nothing but a disaster for the Republicans since before the last election. It may be true historically that the winner loses seats in the midterms, this is anything but a normal set of conditions; both parties are imploding to a degree, but the Republicans a lot more forcefully. When the choice is between a certifiably insane crazy person and a corporate stooge, the smart thing is to hold your nose and vote for the corporate stooge and try again next cycle on the D side. A lot of these races are in places where the D's shouldn't have a hope in heck of winning, but they have a real chance because the I's and moderate Republicans are so horrified by the teabag candidate. That's a pattern that is unfolding all over the country and if anything it's accelerating.

[Jester Messiah]

13. That's great, but if the dem candidates suck (a la Creigh Deeds) then it won't be enough. [nt]

[DarthDem]

16. But In Most Cases . . .

. . . they don't. Conway in KY, in particular, is an outstanding candidate - - very progressive for KY, and even in general. In fact, the whole slate of Democratic Senate candidates this time around is pretty damn impressive.

[Jester Messiah]

17. Here's hoping.

As a Virginian, I'm currently suffering under McDonnell and Cuccinelli. You could say I'm feeling a fair bit burned by the recent Dem efforts in my state.

[DarthDem]

18. Don't Blame You

There seemed to be no concerted effort by national Democrats to win that off-year gubernatorial race. CreeDee was one of the worst major office general election candidates I can remember in a while.

[Kablooie]

19. They will all vote with the Republicans so it doens't make any difference.

[saltpoint]

21. As long as we're in town, hell, let's make it a dozen.

I wouldn't rule out Conway in Kentucky.

It just seems as if Rand Paul is entirely capable of losing that election.

[bvar22]

22. They could lose 20 seats,

...and the "Democrats" still couldn't pass any Democratic legislation that benefited the Working Class.

[lpbk2713]

23. I just love the way the GOP has made a fine art out of shooting themselves in the foot.

OxyRush had the right name for the way they are going ... Operation Chaos. :rofl: