Posted on 05/25/2014 10:07:19 PM PDT by SoConPubbie
Rand Paul is defending his relationship with Mitch McConnell after helping his fellow Kentuckian defeat a tea party-backed challenger in a GOP Senate primary.
"I came out of the tea party movement. I'm very concerned about the debt. I'm very concerned about big government," Paul said on Friday. "But I think the misnomer is to think somehow Senator McConnell isn't. That's what his whole entire career has been predicated upon - fighting against big government."
The comments by Paul, the state's junior senator, came at a news conference with McConnell in Louisville that was focused on building party unity following a bruising campaign in which the minority leader's opponent, Matt Bevin, got 35 percent of the primary vote.
Some in the conservative grassroots movement immediately called for Republican voters to unite and support McConnell.
But Bevin has been noticeably quiet and hasn't said whether he'll back his rival--though he flatly stated on election night that he won't back the Democratic nominee.
That's not stopping Alison Lundergan Grimes, however. She's actively going after Bevin supporters. In an open letter Friday to the 40 percent of Republican voters who didn't vote for McConnell, she argued that a vote for Grimes is a vote for change.
"Yes, we are in different parties, and we have divergent views on some issues. But if you believe that we need a fresh face to shake up Washington, I invite you to join our campaign," the letter stated.
Bevin hit back later Friday with his own letter, saying she doesn't understand "the principles that united my campaign's supporters" and disparaged her stance on a number of items on her agenda.
He agreed with her that Kentucky needs change, but not her kind of change. He made no direct mention of McConnell in the letter.
(Excerpt) Read more at channel3000.com ...
“My cause is conservative governance, period.”
Allowing hard left candidates to win legislative seats will not advance that cause.
Well I don’t know what state you are in but they say you get the govt you deserve.
I can tell you in GA we are not going to let Jimmy Carter’s grandson become Governor just because Nathan Deal isn’t uber conservative and we are not going to let Sam Nunn’s ding dong daughter become senator because the GOP guy isn’t a right wing rad.
The truth of the matter is that the average American is now and always has been fairly middle of the road. They don’t vote too far right. You and I are in the minority and frustrating as that may be its not likely to change.
“you are part of the problem”
No I’m not suggesting that I would sit home and let the Democrat win because the Republican candidate isn’t quite conservative enough. If you are willing to let a Democrat/communist win you are part of the problem.
You are also wrong about the fact that most Americans are middle of the road in their politics. That is the reason a lot of more moderate people get elected. Ultra conservatives probably are about 30%. Not enough to effect huge change at the ballot box.
The reason Reagan won was because he was able to attract the independents and some Democrats. I loved and miss Ronnie but if he was running today for President you would be calling him a RINO.
When we're social issues ever central to the mission of the TEA party?
The history of the tea party is about taxation and the size of the Federal Government.
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