Posted on 01/30/2012 6:38:36 PM PST by neverdem
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- Newt Gingrich's fast Florida fade is the latest indication that the Tea Party is losing its grip on the GOP, with the establishment poised to triumph once again.
An official endorsement Saturday night from last year's Tea Party standout, Herman Cain; an all-but-official backing from longtime Tea Party darling Sarah Palin; and the support of an increasing number of Tea Party officials around the country have not lifted Gingrich back over Mitt Romney in the Florida polls. That weakened clout has been accompanied by the Republican establishment's full-throttle charge at Gingrich's past -- to great effect with the primary here just one day away.
It’s a stunning twist of fate for the GOP, which just 18 months ago was mired in intraparty battles that gave rise to the grass-roots movement, and which had been desperately seeking anyone but Mitt Romney in the presidential race to satisfy its hard-right turn. Still, if Romney wins here on Tuesday and goes on to clinch the nomination in the coming weeks or months, it may not settle the question of whether he has quieted the Tea Party faithful heading toward the general election.
Its various favorites have failed to take hold. Michele Bachmann was ultimately not seen as credible, Cain was forced out of the race over charges of sexual harassment, and Rick Perry couldn’t pass muster through the debates.
Though Gingrich has embraced the Tea Party -- and many of its leaders have hugged him back -- he doesn’t fit the movement’s mold. The Romney campaign knows this and has had no qualms about highlighting that fact.
From former Senate Majority Leader Bob Dole, the GOP presidential nominee in 1996, to Sen. John McCain, the standard bearer in 2008, a growing number of Republican “insiders” have blasted...
(Excerpt) Read more at realclearpolitics.com ...
Wrong Mitt-bot,, what will make the GOP move further left is a Romney win. They will learn that they can do anything and the conservatives will still vote for them.
A bitter loss will make them court us.
And you dont get it,, no matter how much you stamp your feet, i don’t think it advances ANYTHING i believe in to support Mitt, a GOP establishment Ivy-league harvard liberal law school grad.
And don’t throw the supreme court at me,, i know where a Harvard grad Mass. Gov will go for appointments. He will appoint people as bad as Obama. No dice,,Mitt-bot
I’d say the GOP is losing its’ grip on the Tea Party. To heck with the GOP elites!
Many of the legitimate Tea Party successes where helped by anti-Obama anger and many were just replacements of Republicans in Republican leaning districts. I'm not saying the Tea Party is irrelevant just not as powerful as most Freepers think.
If Romney wins, my choice becomes a Liberal Harvard law grad,,, who believes in healthcare mandates, gun bans, loves muslims and abortion,
OR a Liberal Harvard law grad,,, who believes in healthcare mandates, gun bans, loves muslims and abortion,,,,
Sounds like a fine day to go 4wheeling,, or fishing.
I heard that in 1992 From the Buchannan brigades. In 1994 we took the House and Senate but nominated Dole in 1996. Very similar situation to today don't you think? Dole lost...Did the party get the message in 1998 or 2000? Did the party become more conservative as they dropped the ball on Clinton's impeachment?
If Romney wins, my choice becomes a Liberal Harvard law grad,,, who believes in healthcare mandates, gun bans, loves muslims and abortion,
OR a Liberal Harvard law grad,,, who believes in healthcare mandates, gun bans, loves muslims and abortion,,,,
Sounds like a fine day to go 4wheeling,, or fishing.
The Tea Party ain’t dead. Just diluted and divided.
First of all, the Tea Party is not a Party . . . not yet.
Tea Partiers are shooting themselves where it hurts because we are giving about 50% to Newt, 30% to Mitt, and 20% to Rick.
A Party divided will not stand. Why Tea Party folks are giving 30% to Romney is beyond me other than they are desperate and think he is the only one who can beat 666.
Funny - 66.6 is about the percent of us against Romney.
Add santorums numbers to Newt’s in Florida and it’s a blow out for Newt and Romney’s campaign would be over. The Tea Party is still splitting it’s vote.
The ‘proof’ of the Tea Party this election is the House.
Everyone rails about Romney now and, if they don’t get involved, they’ll rail again when the Republican Party presents them with 400 little Romneys as candidates for their House seats.
But 30 or so more TP/conservative House members would give us the Speakership.
I wish those bemoaning or praising the Tea Party would remember that before it’s too late.
But at least it ended Dole. If we do nothing more than end this Mitt crap once and for all,, thats enough for me. If he loses a general,, he’s gone for good.
He’s young enough that thats a useful thing! LOL
I have not mentioned Romney once in this thread. I have talked about the Tea Party. Could you please try to stay on topic?
"That day IS coming."
Now THAT is a plan! Agree
Yes,, but your history is filled with examples of you riding to the rescue of Miss Mitt on many many threads.
jimrob hasn’t been too friendly to that viewpoint lately,,
It was a once in a lifetime phenomenon, and it served its purpose in 2010, but, it’s disorganized and leaderless and basically useless.
At a time when it’s needed to the most, it’s nowhere to be found.
Are you posting on Free Republic or some alternative universe? We the People are right here where you are posting your doom and gloom. Are our words pointless to you? Do we not exist? Do you have to see some Occupy Wall Street nonsense on the MSM news to give you evidence that a movement exists? Was South Carolina even on your radar?
Lots of questions to you, I realize, but buck up for goodness sakes! If we fail in Florida, we regroup and rise to meet another day. Have faith!
And just who were these anti-Obama voters? Tea party participants, of course.
It reelected Clinton. Can't think of anything bad about that? try reading the FR archives and refresh your memory. Losing to Obama didn't end McCain's career. Losing a Presidential run didn't stop Ron Paul for the last 20 years.
Hoping the Tea Party separates itself from the GOP and becomes its own party. The GOP does not appear to embrace conservatism. doing something akin to Ronald Reagan’s reference to not leaving the Democratic Party, the Dems left him. Well, today, I’m not leaving the GOP — it has left me, and good riddance! Should the GOP’s anointed one, Mitt Romney, get the nomination, Obama and company will make mince meat with its class warfare vendetta.
Divide and conquer. Our problem is that the Tea Partiers are not able to consolidate their votes behind one candidate. The decentralized structure of the Tea Party is it’s strength, but also its weakness. Right now Tea Party votes are split between Newt, Santorum, and Ron Paul, so Romney is winning. If Santorum would get out of the race or if his supporters would wise up, Newt’s winning would be a cinch and the Tea Party would be exercising real power that could not be ignored.
The same thing happened with McCain’s primary election in AZ in 2008. The AZ Tea Partiers were split between JD Hayworth and a nobody by the name of Jim Deakin. Between that split and McCain spending $23 million in negative ads against JD, JD didn’t have a chance in the end. Sound familiar? History is repeating itself. Wake up Tea Party and make a business decision. Vote Newt!
Do you believe their are no moderates that voted against Obama in 2010? Interesting.
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