Tea Party "kingmaker" DeMint focuses on Senate races

Reuters ^ | Jan 16, 2012 | Nick Carey

[mdittmar]

Everybody was waiting for Jim DeMint. Mitt Romney had reason to hope the South Carolina senator would repeat his 2008 endorsement of his presidential bid.

DeMint is the hero of conservatives in South Carolina, so his backing might well have clinched the crucial state for Romney. Newt Gingrich, Rick Santorum and Ron Paul had just as much reason to hope DeMint might support them, and put him in the role of kingmaker in the Republican race for the White House.

At a convention of the conservative Tea Party movement in Myrtle Beach on Sunday, DeMint made clear, however, they could all stop holding their collective breath.

The Republican lawmaker, who had refused to endorse anyone, said he was definitely staying on the sidelines.

"We've got a presidential race coming up and we've got a lot of good candidates," he said.

"I know that probably folks in this room feel strongly about them in a lot of different ways, and that's why I'm not getting involved," he added to laughter from the audience.

The Tea Party - with its calls for reduced government spending and regulation - is the hottest movement within the Republican Party. It helped more than three dozen conservative candidates get elected to Congress in the 2010 elections, helping Republicans regain control of the House of Representatives.

[VicVega]

I’d like to see DeMint focus on knocking McConnell out of his leadership position and taking McCain and Graham out as well. We need leadership in the house and senate not a cry baby and a worthless azz.

[Sybeck1]

Chicken shit I say. We are at the edge here and his people are working for romney in the background.

[chris37]

I find it interesting that X number of key conservative players, including certain talk show hosts, former candidates, currently serving members etc., are avoiding endorsing any of our candidates.

I’m not sure what the reason for this is, I want to say it’s because our candidates are so lackluster, but what it really seems like to me is that they are expecting a crushing loss in november, and they don’t want their names attached to it.

Just a theory, dunno if I’m right or way off.

[fieldmarshaldj]

30 years ago, Jesse Helms and Strom Thurmond would’ve been blowing nuclear-sized holes in the SS Willard candidacy. DeMint is shirking his duties.

[ilgipper]

It has nothing to do with November. It has to do with Romney, and a field that is failing to ignite any interest. A guy like DeMint can’t really get behind Newt or Santorum and certainly not Paul. An endorsement for Romney would not be wise either when most every engaged conservatives is against the guy. He is playing commentator and observing correctly that Romney is darn close to wrapping this up. He’ll endorse whoever wins the primaries with fervent support to take out Obama.

All these folks got behind McCain in 2008, even as a sure loser. The lack of endorsements has to do with the current race.

[smokingfrog]

The only logic I can see is that it’s better to have three or four GOP candidates criticizing Romney instead of only one or two. I’m not too thrilled about any of the choices myself.

[Lazlo in PA]

DeMint is being slick here. He has done everything but say he endorses Milt openly. This BS talk about focusing on the Senate races is smoke to keep his Conservative supporters quiet because he knows we hate Mittens.

I don't know what DeMints deal is backing Milt.. I wonder if Mittens has photos of this guy in a dress square dancing with midgets.

[SlargTarg]

I find it interesting that X number of key conservative players, including certain talk show hosts, former candidates, currently serving members etc., are avoiding endorsing any of our candidates.

Most of them sold their souls defending Bush for all those years. They can't now really say that Romney is unacceptable with any credibility.

[chris37]

I agree with everything you’ve said here.

[Terry Mross]

The one positive about Romney being appointed the GOP nominee is I won’t have to waste gas going to the polls.

[BillyBoy]

>> I’d like to see DeMint focus on knocking McConnell out of his leadership position and taking McCain and Graham out as well. <<

Last time around, DeMint endorsed Graham shortly after Graham announced his re-election bid in Oct. 2007 (so he supported him in the primary as well as the general election), and DeMint endorsed Romney for President EARLY in the Presidential primary campaign on Jan. 9, 2008 , when the race was still wide open, McCain had little momentum, and it was anyone's to win (the facts show it wasn't a last ditch "stop McCain" endorsement, no matter how much DeMint's fans on FR continue to make this claim)

Though DeMint's fans on FR keep telling us he's soooooooooooooooo MUCH more conservative than Graham (despite their voting records being 95% alike) and he's SUCH a heroic, principled, conservative leader.

Yet they tell us other Republicans are "traitors" when they do as DeMint did and quickly get in line to endorse Lindsey Graham and/or Mitt Romney in their respective primaries.

I dunno how some freepers can justify all these flip-flops. My take on DeMint? Generally a good guy, though vastly overhyped on FR.