In order to win a statewide race, whether it's in AZ, or California, or Florida, or even Massachusetts, YOU NEED THE RINOS and in many cases "independents", too.
In this I'm channelling CommonTator, who's in heaven and can't speak for himself here (at least I don't think so).
Some people here talk like Trucons voting for Trucons can recapture the country, and it's just not so.
If JD really had a 97% ACA rating, I'm sure it hurt him in this process, and McCain's "antiparty" reputation and behavior, I bet, helped him a lot.
Trucons need a coalition strategy, or they have to settle for 30 seats in the Senate and 150 in the House.
Republicans need closed primaries. With regard to Hayworth’s credentials, as a Conservative, it certainly hurt him with the Democrats.
As for the charge of RINO, it must be backed up with information. I tried to back up my RINO charges with a list of things John had done that would make it literally impossible for an actual Republican of just about ANY stripe to vote for him. And yet, some did. (not that they read my list anyway)
We don’t call guy’s like McCain on the carpet for what they have done. The RNC is a waste of our time. It allows anyone with an (R) after their name to claim that they are a solid Republican. Why?
It’s because the RP leadership has drifted so far off the mark, that they don’t even see McCain for what he is.
McCain ran as a solid Republican. The Republican leadership, Sarah Palin, Congressmen, and other public officials threw their full support behind him.
Thus, anyone coming up with information is a malcontent. McCain is the good guy, and his detractors are the only real problem.
It’s difficult to address this without using terms like conspiracy, collusion, fraud...
The Democrats own the Republican party lock stock and barrel.