For GOP, Ideological Fissures Loom

Washington Post: Republicans Excited After Wins, But Battle Coming Between "Tea Party" Activists and Traditional Republicans

(Washington Post)  This story was written by Philip Rucker and Perry Bacon Jr..

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Reenergized Republicans are savoring victories in two states that President Obama won last year, with party chairman Michael S. Steele celebrating the GOP's first turnabout after three years of Democratic wins by proclaiming a "Republican renaissance."

But behind the Republican Party's elation after capturing the governorships in New Jersey and Virginia are troubling fissures within party ranks over how best to lead the GOP back to power in 2010.

Conservative grass-roots activists drew national attention to New York's 23rd congressional district by bucking the party establishment and forcing out a Republican nominee, Dede Scozzafava, whom they deemed too moderate. But the conservative third-party candidate they backed, Douglas Hoffman, lost by four percentage points to Democrat Bill Owens. The surprising Democratic win could spark new GOP disagreements.

Some top Republicans suggested that the race in New York portends little. Steele, appearing on MSNBC's "Morning Joe," playfully dismissed a suggestion that infighting between conservatives and moderates cost Republicans the congressional seat in New York.

"A lot of folks are going to sit there and pick apart at the bones of 23," Steele said. "God bless you. Have fun. I hope you'll find some gristle to chew on."

In a news conference Wednesday morning at party headquarters, Steele declared: "The Republican renaissance has begun . . . in earnest." Referring to an Obama campaign slogan last year, he added, "The message was sent yesterday: It's not about 'the change we need;' it's about the change we want."

As the party turns toward 2010, however, ideological battles between moderates and conservatives are underway from Florida to Illinois to California, and emboldened conservative activists said they will fan out across the country to challenge establishment candidates in GOP primaries. The divide is not simply between moderates and conservatives, but between the Washington establishment and conservative grass roots.

"Grass-roots conservatives pretty well run to the sound of the guns," said former House Republican leader Dick Armey, whose Freedom Works group organizes tea party protests and backed Hoffman in New York. "There are a lot of races out there where we see possibilities that there will be a grass-roots uprising against the Republican nominee on behalf of some grass-roots or small-government conservatives."

Conservative activists cast the win by Owens as a defeat caused by the Republican establishment, which had backed Scozzafava, a fiscal moderate who supports abortion rights and gay rights. They said the experience was a victory nonetheless for the conservative movement because it signaled the strength they could bring to other races next year.

"We did exactly what we set out to do -- crush the establishment-backed GOP candidate," Erick Erickson wrote on his popular conservative blog RedState. "We have demonstrated to the GOP that it must not take conservatives for granted," he wrote, adding that the race was something of a trial run for the Florida GOP primary, which pits moderate Gov. Charlie Crist against conservative former state House speaker Marco Rubio for an open Senate seat.

CBSNews.com Election Coverage:

Results
All Election Night 2009 Results
Republicans Sweep N.J., Va. Gov. Races
N.Y. Democrat Owens Wins House Seat
Maine Voters Reject Gay Marriage
Breckenridge, Colo., Votes to Legalize Pot
Atlanta's Race For Mayor Heads To Runoff

Former Alaska governor Sarah Palin, who was one of the first national Republican leaders to break with Scozzafava and endorse Hoffman in New York, wrote on her Facebook page Wednesday morning that the fight is "not over, just postponed until 2010."

"To the tireless grassroots patriots who worked so hard in that race and to future citizen-candidates like Doug," the entry said, "please remember [former President Ronald] Reagan's words of encouragement after his defeat in 1976: 'The cause goes on,' he wrote. 'Don't get cynical because look at yourselves and what you were willing to do, and recognize that there are millions and millions of Americans out there that want what you want, that want it to be that way, that want it to be a shining city on a hill.' The cause goes on."

As the party establishment in Washington seeks to win key Senate races next year in states such as California, Illinois, Kentucky, New Hampshire and Connecticut, GOP leaders have sent signals indicating their favorite candidates. Usually these favorites are people able to fund their own campaign or politicians who already have won statewide races, such as New Hampshire Attorney General Kelly Ayotte.

Sen. John Cornyn (R-Tex.), who chairs the National Republican Senatorial Committee, said the grass-roots revolt in New York is evidence that conservatives are exercised. The committee has drawn the ire of some conservative activists for backing moderate candidates in several competitive 2010 primary races, including Florida's.

"I don't think Republicans can rest on their laurels and just sort of enjoy this, because I think there is a significant anti-Washington component of this, and the grass roots around the country want to know who are you listening to; are you listening to us or are you listening to some party elites in Washington?" Cornyn said in an interview.

Across the country, some moderate Republicans in competitive primaries are shedding their moderate credentials to appeal to grass-roots conservatives. In Connecticut, for instance, former congressman Rob Simmons, regarded in Congress as a New England moderate, is linking himself to the tea party movement and now carries a tea bag in his pocket along with a copy of the Constitution to try to beat back primary challengers. In Illinois, moderate Rep. Mark Kirk (R) shores up his conservative credentials in the first advertisement of his Senate race.

Some Democrats are nearly salivating at the prospect of eventual GOP nominees being too conservative to win general elections in swing states and in traditionally Democratic states such as Connecticut.

"Long term, I think they've handcuffed themselves in a negative way," said Sen. Robert Menendez (D-N.J.), chairman of the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee. "The most important thing is that Republicans keep moving to the right. A Republican candidate moving to the right in a blue state is never a good sign for viability in a general election."

Cornyn said Republicans "need to temper our conservative approach with pragmatism" and cautioned that hotly contested primaries could leave the party's eventual nominees "broke and bloody."

"I am a conservative and proud to be a conservative, but I recognize that in order to be elected as a Republican in some of these states, someone as conservative as I am might have a hard time being elected in a general election," Cornyn said. "The goal ultimately is to have the strongest nominee emerge and then win in the general election."

Sen. John Thune (R-S.D.), the fourth-ranking Senate Republican, said once the GOP picks nominees in key races, "everybody will rally around them."

Sen. Robert Bennett (R-Utah), facing a conservative challenge over his backing of last year's bailout of financial firms, said "my election will be about local issues."

"There was a sense after the 2008 election of disillusionment with Republicans among Republicans, 'these guys couldn't win, we should replace them all,' " Bennett said. "Now, that anger has gone to President Obama."

Conservative activists had already taken steps to illustrate their influence before the New York race. In the spring, Sen. Arlen Specter (Pa.) left the GOP to become a Democrat in the face of conservative anger at his vote for the economic stimulus bill. The man who decided to challenge him in the Republican primary and thus effectively chased Specter from the party was former congressman Pat Toomey, who at the time ran the Club for Growth, the anti-tax group that intervened on behalf of Hoffman.

The Club for Growth has not yet decided to enter another primary challenge, but it ran television ads and circulated letters to conservatives in the state about Bennett. And the group's president, Chris Chocola, said there are great concerns about Crist in Florida.

"The center of the electorate is for limited government and tolerance on social issues," Chocola said. "If the Republicans want to grow the tent, I think they should look at limited government, and then the candidates can reflect the social views of their districts."

Analysis:
What McDonnell's Win Means for the GOP, Obama
Corzine's Fall Has Been Festering for a While
What Doug Hoffman's Loss Means to Conservatives
Lessons for the White House from '09 Election Results
Why Christie Won in New Jersey
McDonnell Won Due to Turnout, Independents
Exit Polls in Va. and N.J.: The Obama (Non) Factor?
Michael Steele: GOP Has "Found Its Voice Again"
David Plouffe: Obama "Delivering on His Promise"

[wcanis]

The GOP has no will or desire to work for the good of us all. I ask of the GOP to please work for our fellow Americans to get our healthcare system reform NOW; I see the GOP as working against any credible change and working only for their party vs. the country. Please work with the whole team (Dem?s and GOP) to get the health bill passed now. The GOP bill proposes that each state should be innovative to reduce healthcare costs, thereby making insurance more affordable. That does not ensure healthcare is accessible to our citizens. It is naïve to think the states would meet such a goal. Stop claiming the DEM bill will cause premiums to go up, since they are going up regardless, especially if the GOP does not get off their ?NO? attitude.

Just like any other bill, it is not perfect when passed. But, you know changes and tweaks are always forthcoming in following years to clarify, close loop holes, etc.

We will still have people losing their insurance because of layoffs, forced to go part-time, college grads without employment and thus losing coverage under a parents plan. What happens to our Vets when they come home and cannot get a job? I bet they are out of luck.

We see married couples getting divorced just to change their status for their child to be accepted under Medicaid; this was after they lost their home, all savings. And, now the parents must not live together which is counter to keeping families whole. This is just one more of many immoral acts we impose on our people, and in my view is quite embarrassing for the US compared to other countries.

The GOP is not offering anything creative or realistic to get healthcare access to everybody.

Please offer some constructive ideas to better the existing work, rather than charging the whole approach is flawed. This amounts to the GOP just ?Saying NO.? It seems like not one republican has the guts to speak up and support the best give & take compromise healthcare bill?and get it passed now.

The Healthcare bill is the current example, but when this happens on almost every bit of legislation it is another embarrassment of how congress functions.

[babooph]

The price they now pay ,for letting a bunch of religious nuts into the once sensible party-in the long run,it will prove to be "NOT WORTH IT".

[doc_holliday76]

by nextgenman09:
"It was so embarrassing watching house boy Steele jumping up and down with glee over two gimmee elections yesterday. The town hall tea baggers lost the only election that mattered to their cause: NY23."
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Yep....it certainly seems as if steele is divorced from reality worse than most of the republican'ts, and cannot even admit that losing the NY 23rd district to a Dem for the first time in over 100 years -- especially after national attention by caribou barbi, gingrich, rush and FAUX NoNooz pushing the conservitard hoffman -- means that there certainly are deep ideological fissures within the miNOrity GOP.

[doc_holliday76]

"The center of the electorate is for limited government and tolerance on social issues,"
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Yep....although social issues have worked for the republican'ts during times of economic prosperity, the divided GOP needs to realize that Americans are much more worried about the economy and jobs during the bush/cheney Great Recession of 2007-2009.

[johnlloydsch]

If health care is the problem, insurance is not the cause and government is not the answer.
.
Of those "50 million," that lack insurance there were 45,000 who died without health care.
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WITH health care, 98,000 died FROM health care because of malpractice.
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The question is do we want to trust that largest corporation in the world, the U.S. Government. Do not expect house calls anytime soon.
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We have seen how well the government delivers on its promises and its bureaucracies pursue the money without giving us benefits on so many levels.
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Imagine another 111 bureacracies that only ultimately must listen to the Secretary of the Treasury - another "service" of which is the IRS.
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http://theprogressivecapitalist.blogspot.com/2009/10/affordable-health-care-for-america-act.html
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That blog of mine above has several .pdf connections (HR. 3962 and two summaries, a few videos, and page references for new taxes and other mandates).
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If you cannot use the link, google "Progressive Capitalist H.R. 3962."
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If you believe the promises of this bill, you have to deal with the lie that it fosters competition with a government option called the "Public Option" and establishes the government as a monopoly making its own rules. Don't worry. You'll run out of "rich" soon enough.
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We have at least a $12 trillion economy of which at least $1.8 trillion is spent on health care.
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If you read the bill, there are plenty of opportunities to soak the middle class, if you do not mind the 1.6 million made jobless.
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REPUBLICAN Affordable Health Care For America Act
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MAKING HEALTH Care Affordable For EVERY AmeriCAN
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http://docs.house.gov/rules/health/111_hr3962_boehner_sub.pdf

[doc_holliday76]

"We have at least a $12 trillion economy of which at least $1.8 trillion is spent on health care."
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Living in the past I see, since our economy is $13.7 Trillion of which $2.5 Trillion is spent on our health care debacle each year, and over $800 Billion of that is waste, fraud and abuse.

Your rep. boner legislation is a joke, and just a larger handout to the for-profit insurance industry. Thanks for the FAUX NoNooz propaganda!

[watchdogtexas]

As usual the media tries to make the conservatives look bad and breaking up. They are not covering how the liberals imploted in the election.

If the liberals would have won, it would have been a party in the media.

[hungry1968-17]

The conservatives all lost, and you think that the media should be quiet, and whisk that story under the rug?

[proudmilvet]

What is it about Michael Steele that he would continue to degrade himself by being loyal to a party filled with known racists & bigots such as the likes of Rush Limbaugh? Sometimes i believe if Limbaugh told him to tapdance & sing Zippedy-Do-Dah, he would do it! The man has lost his pride & dignity.

[gangesdak]

Agreed. Steele has no self respect.

[KPeters_from_UK]

Steele says: "The message was sent yesterday: It's not about 'the change we need;' it's about the change we want."

So the things that the American people NEED to succeed, thrive, and protect ourselves are not necessary however the stuff that makes us feel superficially good is what he makes Republicans to campaign for. Strange. He sounds like the irresponsible parent giving his kids the candy they are throwing tantrums for and not like a prudent parent.

[democracy1]

Absolutely! Strange comment on his part/

[michaelm07]

Hey CBS, so you want to call everyones atention to splits in the GOP. Nevermind the splits also going on in the Democratic party which is why this Dem pres, Dem Congress and Dem Senate cannot pass their Hellcare bill even with minority Republican opposition.

If you were honest you would note that voters are pi$$ed off at both parties and holding their representatives accountable and so they in-turn, can no lnger act like lemmings and they actually have to represent their constituent's wishes or, get voted out. WOW, our system of a Representative Republic might actually begin to work again! Now that is change I can believe in.

[rufusfan]

The GOP is the only creditable opposition to the costly silliness going on in Washington. I voted GOP and will do so again in 010.

[unshrub]

Don't forget, people may not be happy with the Democrats, but they still hate republicans a whole lot more.

[michaelm07]

Yeah right, Pelosi and Reid are VERY popular amongst most Dems. To say people are simply not happy with the Dems and hate the Reps is a really silly notion. People are pi$$ed at both parties. Get real, you lemming.

[cidaia]

Actually that's not what I see, I see an America where both parties more and more look just the same.