Posted on 05/06/2014 10:08:26 PM PDT by PaulCruz2016
North Carolina House Speaker Thom Tillis won the Republican Senate nomination in the Tar Heel State on Tuesday evening, comfortably surpassing the 40 percent threshold to win the nomination. His victory ratifies the aggressive strategy adopted by establishment-oriented outside groups, led by American Crossroads, to spend millions on behalf of favored candidates and attack their rivals when necessary.
North Carolina was the opening battleground in the fight between the Republican Party's two main factions, and it's a sign the establishment's no-holds-barred strategy is paying off. American Crossroads spent $1.6 million on behalf of Tillis, significantly more than the resources of Republican challengers Greg Brannon and Mark Harris. They aired three ads, which each touted Tillis's conservative record and rebutted Democratic attacks against him.
The goal was simple: Increase Tillis's low name identification, knowing his opponents wouldn't have the resources to fight back. In January, the group commissioned a survey from veteran GOP pollster Jan van Lohuizen showing Tillis only tallying 16 percent in the crowded field, with 60 percent of Republican voters unsure of their choice. Just over one-quarter of North Carolina GOP voters were familiar with Tillis. But in the middle of their advertising blitz in late April, another poll commissioned by Crossroads and conducted by van Lohuizen found Tillis's name identification had shot up to 66 percent, with him tallying 38 percent of the primary vote. That same poll showed only about one-third of voters familiar with Brannon and Harris.
Their strategy was twofold: Spend early to avoid a financially costly runoff that could wound Tillis for the general election and begin to make the case against embattled Democratic Sen. Kay Hagan. It worked, with Tillis winning well over 40 percent across the board, in most North Carolina counties.
"The stakes were pretty high for us to get him there," American Crossroads Political Director Carl Forti said. "We may have had to spend significantly more to get [Tillis] through a runoff, and that's money that's not going to other important races."
The Karl Rove-aligned super PAC took heat last year from conservatives for announcing the formation of the Conservative Victory Project, an effort designed to prevent less-electable candidates from winning primaries. But with considerably less fanfare, the group achieved the same results by employing a similar strategy to boost Tillis. Crossroads officials said that it's likely they will get involved in additional primaries, given the successful outcome in North Carolina.
Meanwhile, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, which spent over $1 million in ads backing Tillis, also saw two other endorsed candidates prevail in contested primaries—Rep. David Joyce in Ohio and North Carolina congressional candidate David Rouzer. The pro-business lobby attacked Joyce and Rouzer's conservative primary challengers as sleazy "trial lawyers" in ads, before they could catch any momentum. House Speaker John Boehner also comfortably prevailed in his primary, winning 69 percent of the vote.
The establishment is also gaining momentum in the run-up to the next wave of congressional primaries in Nebraska (May 13); Georgia, Idaho, and Kentucky (May 20); and Iowa and Mississippi (June 3). Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell is expected to easily prevail against tea-party challenger Matt Bevin, despite outside conservative groups' involvement in support of Bevin. In a sign of early exuberance, Republican National Committee spokesman Jahan Wilcox tweeted "next stop is that fraud Matt Bevin!" after the Associated Press called the race for Tillis.
Meanwhile, Rep. Mike Simpson of Idaho is now favored to fend off a challenge from Club for Growth-backed attorney Bryan Smith. Iowa state Sen. Joni Ernst, the candidate favored by Iowa GOP Gov. Terry Branstad, is winning support from establishment allies (Mitt Romney) and tea-party favorites (Sarah Palin) alike. In Georgia, the weakest Republican candidates are fading in the primary, making it more likely Republicans will nominate a strong opponent against Democrat Michelle Nunn.
The establishment's biggest test will come in Mississippi, where Sen. Thad Cochran is relying on allies aligned with former Mississippi Gov. Haley Barbour to fend off a serious challenge from state Sen. Chris McDaniel, who is supported by leading outside conservative groups.
It’s a problem.
The GOP sucks but we have a Tea Party problem.
The Tea Party are being targeted and disassembled.
No, it is he that only has to Google to find out. The problem is that the Media has transformed them with negative stories.
Damn, I really hate your attitude!
I really don’t think that money is the issue, but negative news coverage might be. Either way, we are fighting a battle against 70% of the public because of the media.
The next round is to Defeat Sen. Lindsay Graham in SC:
http://www.brightforsenate.com/
This SHOULD be considerably easier since we only have to keep Lindsay under 50% unlike in NC where we needed to keep Tillis under 40%!
Let’s Go:
Sorry, no, I don’t want a liberal Hollywood Democrat in N.C, EVER!~
There you go.
We are losing the media battle.
If you consider the Tea Party a problem the you are lost anyway.
And just how do we win a battle against the media?
Your attitude is harmful to the conservative cause and therefore the nation.
And on the argument front, Ansel12 makes better, and factual, arguments than you.
I’d also say that the person citing Matt Bevin as a fraud is also speaking detrimentally to the conservative cause. There is no reason to alienate people.
Hey! I worked hard to get Ted Cruz elected but the Tea party has an organization problem.
You keep reinforcing the perception of you as a disingenuous scammer.
Let me tell you something your arrogant elitist loving fool -- they are not the only game.
I and many others will NEVER again cast a vote for the lesser of two evils. 2012 was the last straw for me and many I know.
From this day forward, I will be very contented to never again cast a vote for any RINO.
You may arrogantly think the evil GOPe is the only game in time-- ha! It will have to be without my vote and many others.
Withholding votes will be a powerful statement -- if the RATS win so be it. My conscience will be clear...
No, it does not have an organization problem, it has a problem getting most Americans to understand that America is under siege. Most youngsters don’t even understand history much less what is happening today with Government.
Yes, the Tea Party is thriving...don’t tell the media. Please don’t organize the Tea Party...they work so well as individual groups.
The GOPe deserves big losses in November
Not with the Supreme Court at stake. Yes Obama gets to pick but maybe we can get at least a 1/2 moon bat if one is needed replaced. Some were calling for Scalia to step down due to possible dementia last week. I didn’t pay it any mind but he is 78. We need to be careful.
Are you a GOP operative?
Success and numbers are certainly on the TP side. We are supposed to hold our nose when an e-candidate makes it to the general, but the GOP-E submarines our candidates up to and including the general (Cuccinelli)....not me, not now, not ever, no more.
‘low info candidates’, really? Hmmm, I can’t say I saw it quite that way, unless you’re talking years ago.
Just curious, how does this play out for you?
We just keep recycling the same old song and hope
people go back to sleep? Let the Chamber of Commerce
pour money into candidates they can buy amnesty votes
from?
I really can’t see how your vision plays out Karl,
help me out.
Thanks
No man alive makes more stupid statements than Joe and he still gets elected.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.