How about candidates like Bill Whittle, Greg Gutfeld, Dennis Miller, etc.? Voters don’t take staid candidates seriously any more. They’ve been dumbed-down so long that celebrity and glamor actually help form their opinions (sadly). We need candidates who can win and would govern well. Sure, some are more libertarian leaning when it comes to social issues, but that’s preferable to the current socialist bent. If we can revert to basic Constitutional adherence and minimal government intrusion, then all else (social ethics) will fall into place.
I don’t think entertainers and those without governing or executive experience is the way to go.
I do think the actual focus of the tea party—which is pretty much limited to small government Constitutionalism and therefore inherently libertarian-leaning—is the best philosophy for hoisting a new, bigger but more meaningful tent.
The message that those guys offer does resonate with a larger proportion of Americans, and if it were the emphasis of a new party or of a newly taken-over GOP, there’s great potential.
But traditional ideas are radical enough, I don’t think we need or could well support ‘stunt candidates’.