Thad Cochran's win, strategy & Tea Party status

[TGHusker]

The win by Cochran in Miss seems to blunt the momentum the tea party had in the congressional races. The tea party favorite also got beat here in Okla.

 

Thad Cochran's win seemed to be spurred by the turnout of Democratic African American crossover voters.

 

http://www.nationalreview.com/corner/381187/flier-got-thad-cochran-elected-john-fund

 

Here in Okla, we voted yesterday for the 'less conservative' of the 3 conservatives running for Tom Coburn's unfinished term. That may not be saying much as Okla is very conservative but it tells me that people don't want the extreme side even here. The 2nd place guy was backed by Palin and Cruz but still got beat by over 20 pts. He was half African American and half Native American - seemed to be the idea candidate - former speaker of the Okla House, tea party backed minority but got blown out of the water by someone perceived to be a bit less conservative.

 

Some thoughts/observations

1. It doesn't make sense for me why a Repub primary ( or a dem primary) would allow the other party to vote - it seems like the party is punching itself in the face. Of course the dems will vote for the candidate they can beat. Seems like a stupid idea. What is the rational behind this?

 

2. Cochran would have lost without the dem voters. Does that diminish the power of the tea party or just tells us that the tea party isn't ready for prime time - not able to defeat a old, white guy who got the votes of crossover dems? The tea party could say they won - without the dems voting and therefore they are still a valid force.

 

3. Is the repub establishment creating a path in which the party is forcing out the most conservative who will sit at home and not vote in Nov? As some conservative commentators have said, It seems that established repubs prefer a dem over a very conservative candidate as was seen in the governor's race in Virginia when the Repub candidate got little support from the national party. I think the establishment see the tea party as a bigger threat than dems. I don't know Cochran's opponent's positions, unless he was far right fringe, it seems like he would have been a more attractive, effective candidate than an old guy who can barely talk anymore. But power does not like change. Not saying I was for the guy - just seems like Cochran is an old has been.

[strigori]

I think the overriding message is simply that people have had enough of the crazy that goes hand in hand with the Tea Party. Differing opinions are good, but zealots have no place in governance.

[VectorVictor]

I think the overriding message is simply that people have had enough of the crazy that goes hand in hand with the Tea Party. Differing opinions are good, but zealots have no place in governance.

 

That, and people are simply tired of do-nothing, gridlocked representation that will not meet and find middle ground on the pressing issues to resolve them, all because a fringe party's immature zealotry deems it an affront to their contrived jingoism to do so. :-|

 

It's the 'Bagger derp that may push Texass blue (at least for the Governor's race) in this year.

[tschu]

I started a thread specifically for this type of stuff

[TGHusker]

I started a thread specifically for this type of stuff

which thread?