Monday, November 8, 2010

Jim DeMint Defends Tea Party Candidates in Last Elections

Senator Jim DeMint (R-SC) was one of the few conservative members of congress that actually endorsed and supported many of the conservative Tea Party candidates this last election and he has taken some flack from the elitist GOP establishment types for his having done so.  Many of them, such as fellow South Carolinian Senator Lindsey Graham, have said that supporting these conservative candidates instead of more viable moderate candidates is what caused the GOP to not recapture control of the senate.

Senator Graham stated, "If you think what happened in Delaware is 'a win' for the Republican Party, then we don't have a snowball's chance to win the White House.  If you think Delaware was a wake-up call for Republicans then we have a shot at doing well for a long time."

Yes, and that is why when we put up moderate candidates for president such as Bob Dole and John McCain, the Democrats end up winning.  Your strategy is poor in outcome as well as principle, Senator Graham.

Further, I would say to Senator Graham, that you are part of the problem then, sir.  By not standing on principle but rather wanting simply to gain and exercise power, you and the rest of the elitist GOP establishment have shown what truly matters to you.  Your "moderation" on many core conservative principles have already been noted, particularly in the last term.  Evidently, Senator Graham, you absolutely missed the message from this center-right nation of ours.

We The People are sick of moderates and want solid conservative elected officials to do our will.  If you think compromising to draw leftist voters into your camp is the way to go, you might want to ask soon-to-be-former Utah Senator Bob Bennett and his conservative Tea Party successor Mike Lee if that really is the way to gain power and move forward in the long run.

Kudos to Senator DeMint for understanding this and for standing on principle in support of those that will strengthen and return our nation to what it was intended to be.

2 comments:

Dave Splash said...

I am LOVING the fighting and backbiting on the right since the election! The fact is that the tea party cost the Republicans the Senate. I, obviously, am happy about that, but Mitch McConnell already had the drapes measured for his new office, and now he doesn't get it.

If you think that putting up extremists who advocate violence against political opponents (Sharron Angle) or incompetent fools who have never held a job (Christine O'Donnell) or carpet baggers like John Raese, whose wife is not even a resident of the state he was running to be the Senator for, is the path for the future of the GOP, I say go for it.

The tea party made what could have been a tidal wave election into mere rough seas. Thanks, Senator DeMint.

Darrell Michaels said...

Dave, the GOP made near historical gains in the House not seen in 70 years and made great gains in the Senate. They won over 600 seats in State legislatures and won bunches of governorships. The Tea Party inarguably shifted the discussion and the momentum to the right of center again. If that is not winning big, I guess you have REALLY high standards, sir.