Well stated my friend! If OK GOP had spent 1/10th of their time on the Largent race, he would have won, but that wasn't the case in 2002!
I think it is conservative against the establishment. If you notice all the conservatives are in the grassroots and the establishment here HATES the grassroots especially since we got Dr. Tom elected and defeated their establishment candidate. Never enjoyed working in a campaign so much in my life as I did Dr. Tom's.
The power of an "establishment" comes from its ability to grant or withhold favors to those who do their will. The essence of true conservatism is to try to limit govt power and cut govt spending -- which would cripple the establishment's ability to wield power.
The goal of an establishment (Dem or Pub) is to increase its own power, for the purpose of having power and increasing wealth. Don't think that being "connected" doesn't have value. The connected don't get hassled as much as the unconnected; and inside information on what's going to happen, and why, often translates into the opportunity to make investment decisions that put the connected ahead of the peasants
Senators investment portfolios generally do very well, for some reason