There is an amazing story coming out of Utah. That is right folks I said amazing and Utah and was not talking about the National Parks. About a week ago the junior senator from Utah, Bob Bennett, failed to win his party nomination for reelection. Now why is this so amazing? Well a few reasons. 1) In recent polls among the popular vote he was getting like 70%. 2) He carries an A+ rating from NRA and the delegates said he was no conservative enough. 3) He is a Mormon.
All over the country we are seeing more and more incumbents fall in the primary. Not only Democrats, but Republicans also. I find this interesting because typically incumbents do pretty good in elections. Evidently the citizen of Utah are so upset with the federal government that they don't care about losing a rather high ranking representative in the senate.
I have also been thinking about what this could mean for the elections in November. I am wondering if more and more republicans who don't get their nominations may run as independents? Would this split the vote enough to allow Dem to maintain their seats or gain a few? If so, who are these independents going to caucus with?
It also brings up the point of the Tea Party movement in the Republican party. If the delegates who elect our officials, sorry Americans you don't vote in your representatives, from the GOP are now so fed up with Washington that they are going to get rid of Bob, who is safe in the party? McCain is fighting for his career and so are many other big name Republicans. Do the delegates really thank that rank and file rep want an ultra right wing Tea Party candidate in the elections? How is a Tea Party candidate going to get an independent vote?
Obviously this will not matter in a state like Utah. Some states are just red and some are just blue. The purple states should prove to be interesting to watch this year.
Keep up the fight
1 comment:
That is a real observant prospective on it. As you would imagine, I too have a thought on this.
While I heard about this story back in May, I thought Bennett became unpopular due to his support of TARP. And if you know anything about the Tea Parties, you know their strong opposition to what they feel is excessive government spending.
It's a bit too simplified to say that Tea Parties are a branch of or movement in the Republican Party. The Tea Party came (is coming) more from people who never really took much of a political side but are "everyday Joe's" who are frustrated with seeing these 10 digit figures and not seeing results. While obviously conservatives would be easy to target as the source of the party, I feel that there are also a very large percentage of moderates, and even some liberals.
Reading up on Mr. Bennett, it became clear that his supporters in Utah were not only against his support of TARP but more against his "unagressiveness" in forming policy or actually doing anything other than voting the party line.
People are becoming aware that duds in politics are no better than a vote. Voters want people with passion and someone who 'will' make changes.
On the topic of Republicans running as Independents. It is a tough decision to make. The risks of a (R) going to (I) would be
1) that (R) would have little support and lack of funding as an (I)
2) the (R) could never really go back to that party once he denounces that party
3) the candidate is aware that if they aren't popular enough to beat the candidate in the same party, how would running in a different party change peoples minds?
I think these reasons will be be enough to discourage most people from leaving the Republican party. The few instances you cited will I believe be the exception to the rule.
Joe Lieberman (the political whore that he is) left the Republican party and wrote it off to go Independent. But he had to totally change his views to be accepted by anyone and with that now more often than not sides with a more liberal agenda.
I like your posts though as you bring up an interesting perspective and pose great questions. I also take note that you wrote this nearly 2 months ago and I have the advantage of time to see what has developed in that time.
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