Why Republicans Should Be More Concerned About The Tea Parties
April 22, 2009 / 8:37 am • By Dr. Melissa ClouthierUnresponsive Republicans face some bad news this election cycle: vicious primary fights. Sure, they’ll have all the big, fat-cat money that rolls in that comes with winning national office, but the Tea Parties are giving folks who would never get press a lot of free attention while the incumbents sit on the sidelines for fear of saying something wrong, having to defend something wrong, or being part of an uncomfortable situation.
Yesterday, via Twitter, a friend informed me that my local Representative Kevin Brady (R), faces a primary fight by one of the main local Tea Party speakers. The roughly 10,000 people there know who he is now. That’s a lot of motivated voters in a primary fight. These people vote. And they’re going to vote in the primaries. These people are angry.
The more I’ve thought about this phenomenon–John McCain is also facing a primary fight along with Arlen Specter, Chris Dodd and probably many others before this is all over–the more DC insider types might want to start paying attention to their constituents and the Tea Party phenomenon.
I’m of two minds about these primary fights. On the one hand, bruising races will drain a candidates resources and force him in a long, arduous campaign season which may weaken them in the general election. In addition, enforcement of ideological purity can have troublesome consequences. On the other hand, win or lose, the candidate will be reoriented to a proper perspective–where he’s in fear of his constituents rather than the constituents being afraid of him.
The Left wants to pretend the Tea Parties are anti-Obama. The Right wants to ignore them. Both are wrong and dismiss them at their own peril.
Voters all around are sick to death of the inside-the-bubble D.C. mentality. The willful denial by the political class was illustrated by the Rasmussen poll. Of course D.C. people dislike the Tea Parties. They bode ill for their cushy tushy futures.
Cross-posted at Right Wing News
7 Responses to “Why Republicans Should Be More Concerned About The Tea Parties”
April 22 2009 / 9:09 am
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You’re right. I think too many republicans are looking at the tea parties and thinking, “I have the next election in the bag.” They ignore the fact that many of us (tea totin’ protesters) see them as part of the problem as well.
April 22 2009 / 9:20 am
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Now if we can just get a Tea Party type to challenge Kay ‘Bailout’ Hutchinson here in Texas…
Hmm… (Run, Melissa, Run?)
April 22 2009 / 9:23 am
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I don’t know how much money and name recognition it takes to run for national office, but I don’t have either.
However, Michael Williams is running for Senate from TX and he is AWESOME! Support him.
April 22 2009 / 10:26 am
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I had completely forgotten about Michael Williams.
And there’s no way I’m voting for Kay Bailout Hutchinson for Texas Guv, either. I wasn’t a fan of Rick Perry, but since his testicles have apparently (finally) descended, I’ll support his re-election.
April 22 2009 / 12:29 pm
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Naqamel, I agree with you — the best possible outcome of the coming elections will be for Gov. Perry to win re-election with Michael Williams becoming our next Senator.
Getting Kay Baily out of politics would be a great thing for Conservative Texans.
April 24 2009 / 10:53 am
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The RINO Party is a giant fly-blown pile of rotting flesh. It is dead, and not even Rush Limbaugh can breath life into an elephant that died shortly after ‘04 elections. It is just a great big pile of corruption and collusion.
April 26 2009 / 7:49 pm
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J David,
Perhaps its time to create a third party that has the interests of conservatives in mind? I do sense a possible realignment coming soon.