DeMint Irks GOP, Backs Conservatives in Key Races

Newsmax.Com ^ | April 21, 2010 | Chris Wessling

[BradtotheBone]

Republican Sen. Jim DeMint is raising eyebrows within his own party by publicly announcing his support for conservative candidates the GOP has not officially endorsed.

DeMint's maverick streak received national attention Tuesday after he revealed that he was backing Marlin Stutzman in Indiana's Republican Senate primary. Former Sen. Dan Coats is the preferred candidate of most GOP officials.

“Marlin Stutzman is the conservative outsider in the Indiana Senate race who will take on the Washington establishment,” said DeMint, a South Carolina firebrand. “We’ve got a young conservative running for the Senate who could pull off one of the biggest upsets of the year. He’s surging because he’s an authentic conservative who doesn’t apologize for his principles.”

The Stutzman endorsement came days after DeMint announced that he was throwing his support behind conservative county prosecutor Ken Buck for a Senate seat in Colorado, over former GOP Lt. Gov. Jane Norton, who has received the party's blessing.

Before that, DeMint endorsed former Florida House Speaker Marco Rubio; California state Assemblyman Chuck DeVore; and former Pennsylvania Rep. Pat Toomey. All are anti-establishment Republicans running for the U.S. Senate.

DeMint is using his political action committee Senate Conservatives Fund to help conservative candidates that he thinks will appeal to voters who have lost faith in the government and elected officials.

“I’m at the point where it doesn’t matter if we win if we don’t believe in anything,” he told The Wall Street Journal. “There’s no need to nursemaid somebody to the general election if they’re just going to come up here and vote like the Democrats do.”

[Dahoser]

“I’m at the point where it doesn’t matter if we win if we don’t believe in anything,” he told The Wall Street Journal. “There’s no need to nursemaid somebody to the general election if they’re just going to come up here and vote like the Democrats do.”

Oh sweet music!

[hinckley buzzard]

“There’s no need to nursemaid somebody to the general election if they’re just going to come up here and vote like the Democrats do.”

Excellent point. Sen DeMint will get my attention and that of a lot more if he holds to this position.

[MNlurker]

The headline alone makes me want to punch the heads of the RNC and NRSC...

[Snickering Hound]

But in the battle for the party's soul, Cornyn's strategy is decidedly different from DeMint's. DeMint is supporting ideologically “purist” candidates, while Cornyn – with the party's might behind him – is backing candidates he thinks will be able to attract swing voters, and thus win in all-important swing states.

"We need candidates who can win," Cornyn told the Journal. "What we're in the business of is reinforcing our numbers, and the only way you do that is by winning elections."

I'm so sorry Texas sent that rino Cornyn to the Senate.

[pogo101]

Keep On Irkin’.

[PhiKapMom]

He cannot be irking them too much as his picture appears on NRSC when you click on the link!

[FrankR]

"...conservative candidates the GOP has not officially endorsed. "

Well, GOP...stop endorsing candidates who aren't really conservative.

[Maelstorm]

Sounds good to me but they have a Washington mindset. They cede ground to liberals because they themselves are more liberal than they appear on paper.

[UCFRoadWarrior]

DeMint needs to start supporting JD Hayworth. Take a leadership role and get a real conservative to replace McCain

[colorado tanker]

I'm going to wait and see. I'm not sure how much this has to do with conviction versus building a base of support for a DeMint run at the White House or Majority Leader down the road.

[Permanent Veteran]

I hope more people expose the RINOs for what they are so we can have some true conservatives in our government. Before it’s too late.

[Lakeshark]

I think DeMint's a pretty good guy.

I would be glad to see him rise into a more powerful position.

[Allegra]

Republican Sen. Jim DeMint is raising eyebrows within his own party by publicly announcing his support for conservative candidates the GOP has not officially endorsed.

Just one more reason for me to really like this guy...

[veracious]

Harrah for Jim DeMint! He is the kind of man we need, esp. at the time.

[skeeter]

Finally, someone said it out loud.

To all you RINOs, vafangool!

[Falcon28]

Cornyn is a fraud. DeMint is an authentic conservative who doesn’t compromise. Period!

[ducttape45]

Too bad he’s supporting the wrong person in Indiana. Richard Behney is the person who got the Tea Party going here in Indiana is getting my vote in May, not Stutzman.

[muleskinner]

DeMint is right as long as his candidates get elected. If they don't, we end up getting creamed in the House and Senate, then end up with a health care bill that will bankrupt the U.S.

A guy like DeMint cannot win in Left Coast states. Too many mommy party voters. Speaking of California, the Democrats are typically not just left of center, but Far Left, like Boxer, Pelosi, George Miller, Pete Stark, the ex-homeless hippie who represents everything north of San Francisco, then you have pod-people like Henry Waxman.

DeVore, the best Senatorial candidate, has a chance, but a poor chance against Boxer. Campbell or Fiorina would have a much better chance. It's a numbers game between the Republicans, Independants and democrats. Campbell or Fiorina can pull enough Indy's and what conservative democrats that are left to beat Boxer. DeVore wouldn't be able to get much than the right of center voters and therefore can't win statewide. The numbers don't add up.

[Falcon28]

I would be glad to see him rise into a more powerful position.

Come January 2011, DeMint for Senate Majority Leader. Mike Pence for Speaker of the House. Or Paul Ryan, Or Bachmann, they'll all do fine. Just please no more Boehner and McConnell.