Sadly a lot of people get taken in by ANYONE who claims to be a “tea party insurgent” whether evidence backs this up or not.
“I prefer to vote for and support people who’ve proven themselves.”
I agree with you. So many people will reject anyone with a record in the state legislature (omg they might have one or 2 bad votes out of an otherwise excellent record) or any “establishment” support. They prefer random people who up and decide to run for Congress one day after having zero previous political involvement, as long as they loudly proclaim how “tea party” they are and how they are “not a career politician”.
But the bizarre thing is they rarely utter a peep about challenging a sitting RINO Congressman or Senator that DOES have a legitimately terrible record. For example Congressman Richard Hanna of NY is in a majority GOP district and has one of the most liberal records of any Republican in the House, but none of these "Tea Party activists" are demanding his head on a platter. Congressman Justin Amash routinely votes with Pelosi for BS "constitutional" reasons (e.g. I think my master Ron Paul wants me to) and the "Tea Party" activists support him. Lamar Alexander and Susan Collins are squishes up in 2014 but do we hear anything about it? No, they're foaming at the mouth to "term limit" people who do what we want 95% of the time.
I started lurking on FR around the time of the Clinton impeachment. Imagine how different things would be if the "Tea Party Express" and "RedState.com" were around back then:
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Arlen Specter up for re-election = so what?
Jim Jeffords up for re-election = so what?
Peter King up for re-election = so what?
Strom Thurmond up for re-election AND ITS TIME FOR HIM TO GO OR BE PUSHED! Strom is a career politician who has been there since 1956. He is not a fighter and has been sleeping walking through history. Last year his American Hertiage rating was only 87% and has been trending downward. RINO Strom is not entitled to another term. There is a better choice We all must support President Clinton's conservative cousin: fearless tea party warrior DR. EDGAR BEAR. Unlike RINO Strom, Edgar is not a politician, he is an outsider who will go to Washington and shake up the system. If Strom isn't willing to fight Bill Clinton, it's time to stand aside for someone who will! Sending Clinton's cousin EDGAR BEAR to the U.S. Senate will embarrass Clinton and save America.
Conrad Burns up for re-election AND ITS TIME FOR HIM TO GO OR BE PUSHED! Burns has been in politics since 1975. We've had enough Washington insiders like Burns. His ratings from American Liberty Caucus, the John Birch Society, Southern Hertiage Foundation, and the Christian Coalition were only 88%, 85%, 90%, and 77% last year. He is not automatically entitled to another term. He was even quoted in National Review last year saying he likes to play pool with Madeline Albright! It's time to send this go-along, get-along, backbenching RINO a message about being bi-partisan with his Democrat buddies. There is a better choice: CORINNE QUAYLE! Vice President Quayle's daughter is a true conservative unlike RINO Burns. That's why Mark Levin, the Tea Party Express, and RedState.com have endorsed her candidacy. We need a real fighter in there, not a limp-wristed RINO like Burns. Let's send unafraid Tea Party fighter Corinne to the U.S. Senate!