Posted on 08/01/2012 5:34:41 AM PDT by Cincinatus' Wife
WASHINGTON - Ted Cruz's stunning come-from-behind victory over David Dewhurst in Tuesday's Republican Senate runoff sends an unmistakable message to the political establishment in Washington that the next U.S. Senate, like the Republican-controlled House, is going to be more conservative and less willing to compromise with President Barack Obama or even a possible President Mitt Romney.
"This is going to reverberate around the Capitol in Washington and around the country," said Republican strategist Matt Mackowiak. "If you can do this in Texas, you can do it anywhere. This is a hell of a wake-up call for the establishment."
The decisive win by Cruz, a first-time office-seeker, over one of the Texas' most powerful officeholders underscores the growing clout of tea party conservatives in Republican nominating contests and the struggles that both moderate and conservative establishment figures are facing in the current political climate of grass-roots fury at the status quo.
"People perceive a crisis," said Clemson University political scientist David James Woodard, a specialist in conservative politics. "They want leadership, not experience. They're open to ideological appeals more than a résumé."
[SNIP]
GOP strategist Mackowiak said Cruz's success "is going to convince outside groups to get involved in more races" against prominent establishment figures.
Tea party leaders were quick to claim credit for Cruz's victory after he trailed Dewhurst in the May 29 primary - warning other establishment figures that they faced extinction in future purges.
Tea Party Express chair Amy Kremer said Dewhurst's defeat "comes at the hands of the Tea Party" and no "anointed Austin politician" should expect to prevail in primary contests.
And the threats, it seems, should be taken seriously....
(Excerpt) Read more at chron.com ...
After serving a term in the Senate, I would like to see Cruz appointed to the SCOTUS, replacing Ruth Baader-Meinhoff Ginsburg or Breyer.
What’s this? The Tea Party is alive and well? The lamestreams have been gloating over it drying up and blowing away. A “one time” phenomenon.
Next media meme: “The Tea Party is a one time phenomenon, except in that backward state of Texas.”
Did anyone else gleefully watch Dewie’s concession speech and hear him say, “as your US senator”?
Does he not get it that he LOST?
Doncha' think it's better to get them outta' there much sooner?
Here we go. Cruz is one of those irrational zealots who is going to force the country over a fiscal cliff because he won't "compromise." We have heard this a lot and it is an incredibly ignorant statement. "Tea Party" candidates like Cruz focus on the fact that we are going over a fiscal cliff because our insane spending is out of control. He is the sane one. He is the one saying that we need to cut spending to avoid going over the cliff. That is sanity.
Morons like Sabato and the MSM, including a lot of RINOS, mindlessly babble about "compromise" without any context or history. Compromise for compromise's sake. They ignore how much the Dems have ramped up spending over the past 6 or 7 years, aided and abetted by Lyndon Baines Bush. Spending needs to be cut, Cruz will help do that. That is the sane, rational, adult way to deal with our situation.
Is that necessarily a bad thing? Hard to think of a worse strategic error than to underestimate the opposition!
I can’t figure out why the author seems so suprised. This is just the latest in a trend that really got rolling in 2010.
I was thinking the same thing. I can’t believe this is a Chron headline.
He did not imagine in his wildest dreams that he would lose. He probably didn’t even have proper losing remarks prepared.
Successful Palin Endorsement a Wake-up Call for GOP-e
The massive conservative Texas turnout is an omen of what is to come on election Day, November 6, 2012. Millions of conservative and Tea Party members will turn out to defeat Obama, big time!!!
First, the Governor Scott Walker, Wisconsin victory and now Ted Cruz in Texas. Congratualtions Governor Walker and soon to be Texas U.S. Senator, Ted Cruz!!! ABO, folks, Anybody But Obama....and, destroy the “communist” Democrat Party in Texas and throughout the USA!!!
Folks, catch that Mexican-American vote along the border counties, supporting Ted Cruz (Cuban-American)
Good job, I live in PA so I couldn't vote but I sent him my {this year} standard donation for out of state conservatives, $20.12.
I have sent that same donation to many pubbie senate candidates including Sarah Steelman, Hodve, Smith in PA, and even once to Romney.
Like it or not, Mittens is our guy and it's either him or the death of Freedom.
With congress critter like Cruz and Lee and Demint we can keep Mittens and Mitch McConnell and weepers Boehner in line and doing the things that have to be done.
Big mistake to hire a Palin basher as one of his campaign spokesmen.
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Big mistake to hire guys with short fuses and foul mouths too...
Has Willie fired that guy who cursed at the press ???
Didn’t say it was. Just speculating on how the media is going to try to spin the fact that they completely blew it.
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