Personally I do not like the effect that DeMint has had on GOP Presidential politics, DeMint was a Party Chairman in 2008 for a presidential candidate after serving on that candidates exploratory committee.
He did a lot more than just endorse Mitt Romney, he helped persuade him to run back in 2006.
DeMint was one of the early promoters of Mitt Romney to run in 2007, he was senior advisor to his exploratory committee.
JANUARY 2007, NOT, JANUARY 2008-— Senator DeMint wrote, “We must elect a President in 2008 who is up to the task, and I need you to encourage Mitt to run. ...
Tuesday, Jan 09, 2007
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Boston, MA – Governor Mitt Romney announced today that Senator Jim DeMint (R-SC) will serve as a senior adviser to the Romney for President Exploratory Committee.
OCTOBER, 2007
Boston, MA – Today, Governor Mitt Romney named Governor Matt Blunt (R-MO), Senator Jim DeMint (R-SC) and Senator Judd Gregg (R-NH) as National Co-Chairs of the Romney for President campaign. As National Co-Chairs, they will serve as key advisers to Governor Romney and his national campaign.
Senator Jim DeMint said, “Governor Mitt Romney is the standard-bearer the Republican Party needs in 2008. His message of conservative change will bring our Party and Washington back to our most basic conservative values of fiscal discipline, smaller government and lower taxes. Governor Romney has the record and experience to bring true change to Washington.”
So DeMint went from being a Romney insider to an authentic tea party guy.
And he was lucky enough to become a tea party guy just as the tea party was becoming politically popular!
I probably shouldn’t base my opinion of DeMint on his public comments alone.
You forget who we had as our crop of candidates in 2008. They *ALL* bit wind.