Ted Cruz reignites GOP civil war

politico.com ^ | 12/16/14 | Manu Raju and Burgess Everett

[cotton1706]

Republican senators pounded Ted Cruz over the weekend, lashing him for his procedural tactics and ultimately voting in large numbers against his immigration gambit.

Now, Cruz’s allies off Capitol Hill are looking for revenge.

Conservative outside groups view Saturday’s vote as the first salvo in the GOP v. GOP purity wars that they hope to reignite in the beginning of the new Congress and in the run-up to the 2016 Senate races, when 24 Republican senators will be on the primary ballots.

After being pummeled by the party establishment in the 2014 midterms, activist groups are looking at the fight over Cruz’s contention that the spending bill is unconstitutional as their first opportunity to regroup and reestablish their relevance as Senate Republicans prepare to take the majority next year.

“People’s votes may by themselves inspire folks to say: ‘I’m running against this guy or this girl,’” said Ken Cuccinelli, the president of the Senate Conservatives Fund. “I have a funny feeling that some people who weren’t thinking of running two weeks ago are thinking of running now.”

Seven of the 20 Republicans who voted against Cruz are up for reelection in two years, including Sens. Dan Coats of Indiana, Mark Kirk of Illinois, Ron Johnson of Wisconsin and Lisa Murkowksi of Alaska. And 16 Republicans who are running again, such as Richard Burr of North Carolina and Rob Portman of Ohio, joined the Texas freshman, a sign that many are well aware of ammunition that could be used against them in a GOP primary.

[cotton1706]

I hope the outside groups ARE gearing up, because some of these people need to be removed in the next cycle!

Lee (UT) - 2016 - 99% (Average) - 100% (CReview) - 96% (Heritage) - 100% (CFG) - 100% (ACU) - 100% (FreedomWorks)

Paul (KY) - 2016 - 96% (Average) - 95% (CReview) - 92% (Heritage) - 97% (CFG) - 96% (ACU) - 100% (FreedomWorks)

Scott (SC) - 2016 - 92% (Average) - 86% (CReview) - 85% (Heritage) - 94% (CFG) - 96% (ACU) - 100% (FreedomWorks)

Rubio (FL) - 2016 - 90% (Average) - 80% (CReview) - 81% (Heritage) - 91% (CFG) - 96% (ACU) - 100% (FreedomWorks)

Johnson (WI) - 2016 - 88% (Average) - 73% (CReview) - 84% (Heritage) - 87% (CFG) - 96% (ACU) - 100% (FreedomWorks)

Crapo (ID) - 2016 - 84% (Average) - 78% (CReview) - 81% (Heritage) - 92% (CFG) - 88% (ACU) - 83% (FreedomWorks)

Toomey (PA) - 2016 - 80% (Average) - 66% (CReview) - 71% (Heritage) - 93% (CFG) - 80% (ACU) - 91% (FreedomWorks)

Lankford (OK) - 2016 - 78% (Average) - 76% (CReview) - 80% (Heritage) - 70% (CFG) - 80% (ACU) - 84% (FreedomWorks)

Shelby (AL) - 2016 - 76% (Average) - 66% (CReview) - 75% (Heritage) - 82% (CFG) - 76% (ACU) - 83% (FreedomWorks)

Barrasso (WY) - 2016 - 75% (Average) - 67% (CReview) - 72% (Heritage) - 85% (CFG) - 88% (ACU) - 64% (FreedomWorks)

Vitter (LA) - 2016 - 75% (Average) - 76% (CReview) - 68% (Heritage) - 78% (CFG) - 79% (ACU) - 73% (FreedomWorks)

Thune (SD) - 2016 - 71% (Average) - 60% (CReview) - 60% (Heritage) - 80% (CFG) - 88% (ACU) - 67% (FreedomWorks)

Burr (NC) - 2016 - 69% (Average) - 55% (CReview) - 58% (Heritage) - 67% (CFG) - 84% (ACU) - 83% (FreedomWorks)

Moran (KS) - 2016 - 69% (Average) - 62% (CReview) - 65% (Heritage) - 75% (CFG) - 80% (ACU) - 64% (FreedomWorks)

Coats (IN) - 2016 - 66% (Average) - 49% (CReview) - 61% (Heritage) - 75% (CFG) - 83% (ACU) - 64% (FreedomWorks)

Boozman (AR) - 2016 - 64% (Average) - 49% (CReview) - 68% (Heritage) - 70% (CFG) - 80% (ACU) - 55% (FreedomWorks)

Portman (OH) - 2016 - 63% (Average) - 56% (CReview) - 55% (Heritage) - 71% (CFG) - 64% (ACU) - 67% (FreedomWorks)

McCain (AZ) - 2016 - 62% (Average) - 50% (CReview) - 52% (Heritage) - 71% (CFG) - 52% (ACU) - 83% (FreedomWorks)

Ayotte (NH) - 2016 - 59% (Average) - 44% (CReview) - 51% (Heritage) - 79% (CFG) - 68% (ACU) - 55% (FreedomWorks)

Blunt (MO) - 2016 - 58% (Average) - 35% (CReview) - 52% (Heritage) - 67% (CFG) - 71% (ACU) - 64% (FreedomWorks)

Isakson (GA) - 2016 - 55% (Average) - 44% (CReview) - 50% (Heritage) - 59% (CFG) - 54% (ACU) - 67% (FreedomWorks)

Hoeven (ND) - 2016 - 50% (Average) - 22% (CReview) - 42% (Heritage) - 58% (CFG) - 60% (ACU) - 67% (FreedomWorks)

Kirk (IL) - 2016 - 47% (Average) - 29% (CReview) - 39% (Heritage) - 74% (CFG) - 44% (ACU) - 50% (FreedomWorks)

Murkowski (AK) - 2016 - 31% (Average) - 22% (CReview) - 24% (Heritage) - 52% (CFG) - 38% (ACU) - 18% (FreedomWorks)

[Da Coyote]

What’s a Republican?

I know I used to be one of those when the party had honerable people leading it.

As for the GOPe, they can shove it up their collective pseudo-Obamaholes.

Guess we’ll have to have that civil war, ‘cuz that’s what’ll happen if we put Bush/RINOmney, etc up for prez.

[a fool in paradise]

Obama-Holder have been stoking the fires of a violent race war and Politico basta’ds have the audacity to claim that Ted Cruz is igniting a civil war.

[Waryone]

I was going to reply to this article, but it’s such a laugh fest (title included) that I don’t know where to start.

[Jewbacca]

One of the most offensive things in the budget was to permit unlimited donations to the party elite groups.

This was a direct target at conservatives and the rare honest liberal that causes Democrats grief.

[Arm_Bears]

Any enemy of Ted Cruz is also an enemy of mine.

When do we start shooting?

[mrsmith]

I hope people are starting their campaigns NOW. Especially for the House.

Also: the GOPe reignited (or rather
‘continued’)this war with the “Crammed Omnibus”, there was no other reason for that bill but to reward and grow the GOPe donors.

[twoputt]

It is no surprise to me that my Senator, Mark Kirk (RINO-IL), is second from the bottom. He might as well switch parties for all he’s worth. And I’m going to tell him as much when he attends our townhall meeting on the third.

[exnavy]

Cruz didn’t start this. I hope he gets to finish it.

[OneWingedShark]

What’s a Republican?

An excellent question, and one which I think can be explained by the following brochure:
The Tao of Republican Orthodoxy
[Direct Link]

[b4its2late]

Cruz to the top!

[ArcadeQuarters]

> purity wars

The only purists are those who criticize conservatives for not caving on 100% of the issues. There’s been plenty of nose holding on the right. It’s time for the RINOs to vote like the conservatives they pretended to be during their campaigns.

[Lucky9teen]

Ted Cruz didn’t reignite anything....that hasn’t already been brewing for years.

Ted Cruz is just standing out in front, highlighting the way and holding the torch, for SO MANY who are sick and tired of the supposed “Republicans” pulling the same crap as the Democrats and not holding anyone in govt accountable and/or doing their jobs.

Ted Cruz is the voice many are yearning to hear. So of course, he’s being demonized by the left. He’s right over target.

[Dr. Sivana]

Civil War being defined as, when the one being pummeled (author’s words) stops saying “Thank you sir, can I have another?”

[Old Retired Army Guy]

Murkowski, Johnson and Coats are all safe if they decide to run. Kirk may not run as he has been ill. The problem with Kirk’s seat is it is in a real Blue State. Whether he runs again or is replaced by someone else, a strong Dem. push in Illinois could give that seat back to them.

[Steamburg]

If we are going to decide the fate of the GOP, there’s no better day to start than today. A civil war is necessary and we would be better for it if we finish it well before the 2016 election cycle.
These battles are fought with money and dirt, not conscience and piety.

[TexasCajun]

We just missed a chance to kick out John Cornyn, we’re stuck with him for another 6 years.

[Jim Noble]

“It’s time for the RINOs to vote like the conservatives they pretended to be during their campaigns.”

Oh, OK then.

That’s solved.

[Candor7]

I hope the outside groups ARE gearing up, because some of these people need to be removed in the next cycle!>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

All one has to do is make each of these traitors look like they are not honoring their illegal committments to Obama, and the Dark Lord himself will Breitbart each one of them.

Fait Accomplis! No election needed. Just turn the liberal fascists loose on them.

[kidd]

What’s a Republican?

A Republican is a member of the Republican party, which is the lower of two branches of the Government Party. The upper branch of the Government Party is the Democrat Party. Both parties share similar goals and pass similar legislation. However, the two branches of the Government Party act and talk differently so as to provide a story for the Government Media.

In general, the Democrat branch of the Government Party initiates ideas that draw the United States closer to socialism, then the Republican branch of the Government Party provides its mandatory opposition. Opposition is generally minimal and the initial Democrat concept is passed, usually with some minor, mostly cosmetic change.

The role of the Republican Party is to talk like they oppose the President when the President is a Democrat. It is rare for the Republican Branch to provide any meaningful obstruction to a Democrat President. In such attempts, the upper branch of the Government Party and the Government Media will obstruct the obstruction.