Tea party forces are confronting the Republican establishment by backing insurgent conservatives and generating their own candidates — even if it means taking on GOP incumbents.
Music to my ears. John McCain showed us exactly where this country will go if the GOP continues to promote watered-down Democrats.
In Florida, where the national party has signaled its preference for centrist Gov. Charlie Crist in the GOP Senate primary, tea party activists are lining up behind former state House Speaker Marco Rubio in reaction to Crist’s public backing for President Barack Obama’s stimulus package.
And Marco Rubio has made quite an impression on ardent conservatives. George Will, the prognosticator of all prognosticators, has stopped just short of declaring Rubio the victor:
Rubio intends to prove that "in the most important swing state, you can run successfully as a principled conservative." He probably will.
As I watch Rubio build momentum, I find it hard to disagree.
Tea party organizers say their resistance to Republican Party-backed primary candidates has much to do with what they perceive as the GOP’s stubborn insistence on embracing candidates who don’t abide by a small government, anti-tax conservative philosophy.
Perception has nothing to do with it. The polls and the election results speak volumes. The GOP didn't just abandon the conservative base, the GOP abandoned the electorate. If it gets any worse, the Republican party will be irrelevant.
In a handful of states, tea party activists have zeroed in on House Republican incumbents and have launched primary challenges in protest of their past support for the controversial Wall Street bank bailout.
This strategy will save the GOP, and that will, in turn, save conservatism. The GOP can only survive if it is in tune with the values of this center-right nation. Conservatism can only survive if conservatives infiltrate the Republican party and eschew defeatist attitudes and third party impulses.
13 comments:
I was at a Tea Party and heard people shout throw the bums out, and it wasn't just Democrats they were referring to.
...and it wasn't just Republicans who were shouting this.
Thanks for this good news RK. Always welcome, but especially on a Monday!
Aha! Conservatives, true conservatives, are waking up.
We don't need any more RINO's!
Either the Republican Party reforms itself, or it will be made as irrelevant as the mainstream media. To spite what the Democrats keep spouting, the Tea Parties (more to come) are NOT about people promoting the Republican Party.
In fact, when you look at the home made signs, how many of them say ANYTHING about the Republican Party?
It's about booting the socialists from office, shrinking government and returning to a free enterprise system. And either the Republicans listen or they'll be swept aside, weeping bitter tears along with the Democrats over their lost dominion.
this is so heartening! Busy weekend for a change..hope youre doin well!!:)
I agree, I don't know much about Rubio though, is he a true conservative, RK?
RV: There are a lot of GOP bums that need to be thrown out. I just hope that conservatives don't become so disillusioned that they start wasting energy and resources on 3rd party candidates.
DaBlade: I pounce on good news whenever I can!
AOW: Let's make the RINO an endangered species in 2010.
LL: Yes, the need to listen, for the good of the country. If the GOP is decimated, there's no one to take their place...except more democrats.
WHT: Doing well, thanks.
LCR: Rubio is a stellar conservative. If he doesn't make the same mistakes Mark Sanford made, he will be very bright star in the GOP. Here's some good Rubio info:
Rubio Rising
A Ripe Time For Florida's Marco Rubio
Jim DeMint endorses Marco Rubio for Senate
Marco Rubio endorsed by Sen. Jim DeMint
NRO Q&A
Marco Rubio: This is the type of senator we need!
Wow RK, your post is so apropos to the work we have been doing here in Utah trying to rid ourselves of a 3-term moderate Republican Senator Bennett and to replace him with a stick-to-principles conservative Cherilyn Eagar (who coincidentally would be our state's first female US Senator).
We hope we haven't abandoned our national friends in so much posting on our specific candidate, but we feel we are making a huge difference and urge them to stay tuned into this fight for the GOP nomination.
We are grateful for tea party members and 9/12ers who are doing likewise in their states.
Excellent! What could be more disgusting that handing over the Tea Party Movement to the McCain-Grassly Republicans?
nacilbupera: I'm glad you guys are keeping a close eye on that one. The local battles are just as crucial as any others.
NG: They certainly don't deserve our support.
I can't agree with you more about third party candidates. It' a loser every time. We must run good, conservative candidates in the primaries.
I am a FL resident who is supporting Marco Rubio (lots of videos on my blog in case anyone wants to hear him speak). He is a true conservative.
The day I saw Charlie Crist on stage at a town hall with Obama giving him support for the stimulus, is the day I knew he had to go. The last thing we need in the Senate is another RINO...and if Crist gets in, that's what we'll have to deal with.
Great post. I am going to pass it on to the Marco Rubio group on the Conservative Underground. They will enjoy it.
TCL: Thanks for working hard to promote Rubio, and thanks for sharing my post.
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