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Just How Badly Has the NRSC Screwed Up? Worse Than You Think.

By: Erick Erickson (Diary)  |  August 27th, 2010 at 05:00 AM  | 

RESIZE: AAA

17,000 of the 24,000 absentee ballots in Alaska will probably be counted Monday. Given Joe Miller’s late surge, it may not help him. However, I am told by a number of people that given where those absentee ballots came from and his overall support in the areas, the odds remain in joe Miller’s favor.

But word is coming out of Washington that the National Republican Senatorial Committee, already in “cover their butts” mode, is intervening in Alaska to help Lisa Murkowski.

John Cornyn, Chairman of the NRSC, has been upfront that the NRSC will help incumbent Republicans being challenged. But there is a problem with Murkowski. I have confirmed through multiple sources that Lisa Murkowski has already approached the Alaska Libertarian Party. In exchange for putting her on the Libertarian ticket in November, Murkowski will hand the Libertarians a sizable chunk of her +$1 million war chest.

The Libertarian Party Chairman, Scot Kohlhaas, is denying direct talks with Murkowski, and says it probably won’t happen, but I can confirm conversations are still happening regarding this.

I am willing to bet that John Cornyn is sending Murkowski help without first getting a promise from her that she will not run third party if she loses.

What’s more, the NRSC, in “cover their butts” mode, is telling every reporter who will listen that Lisa Murkowski did not take the NRSC’s advice and attack Joe Miller. In fact, the NRSC gave the same advice to Sue Lowden, Jane Norton, Charlie Crist, Trey Grayson and other NRSC losers.

The advice is simple — attack the opponent for being fiscally responsible, i.e. opposed to earmarks and being a real fiscal conservative.

Joe Miller is speaking out on this and accusing the NRSC of meddling in the election. If and when he gets to Washington, the number of people opposed to the present GOP leadership will have one more.

It’s as if Rob Jesmer, the NRSC’s Executive Director, is a Tea Party saboteur, intentionally destroying the NRSC. On the bright side, because of Rob Jesmer’s incompetence, the GOP has one of the most conservative batches of candidates in a long time: Angle, Buck, Lee, Paul, Rubio, and Toomey — all opposed by the NRSC and supported by Jim DeMint.

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COMMENTS

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  • GreyCloak

    They haven’t declared a penny of contributions to the Republican Primary race, but rumor has it that they are sending a lawyers to help Murkowski in her absentee ballot bid. Love them incumbents!

    Murkowski gained over $3 1/2 million in contributions … Miller got less than $300,000.

    Geez: do voters matter more than contributors or the NRSC?

  • JadedByPolitics

    and just like Lisa Murkowski there will be a “Joe Miller” because WE The People are ready for a MULTI-YEAR battle against the NRSC, RNC and the RINO’ s who INFEST it!

  • http://reaganiterepublicanresistance.blogspot.com/ reaganiterepublicanresistance

    That’s what he said yesterday… this guy’s alright, lol

    But the NRSC is losing this war with the TEA/Palin/Reaganite right… while Sarah’s running circles around their boy Mitt

    Scozzafava to Crist to this, the NRSC have been saps by those who never would have aided a conservative agenda anyway… I can’t imagine why they think we should be voting for these chumps over a true conservative candidate.

    All polls and primaries indicate we most certainly WON’T… wake up quick GOP, and GO GET EM ‘Cuda!!!

  • merryj1

    There is no legitimate place in the Republican Party (according to the mission statements and Platform) for this type of corruption. Time to start looking for good conservative candidates to challenge these hacks when their present terms expire.

  • SoFiMil

    Not only do major changes have to be made at the Federal and State level in regard to our elected representatives, but with officials at the NRSC and NRC as well.

    If this story is accurate, the Libertarian Party of Alaska is also appears completely unprincipled (e.g., running a candidate who is is no way a Libertarian in exchange for some money; what about the libertarian faithful who have been registered as such for years?, etc.)

  • gwindybrown

    For the future success of the Republican Party I hope we will see more Conservatives replacing the Party RINO Regulars. We’ll take care of a lot of Democrats this year and a few RINOs but the future of the party is a move to more conservative positions. Dump Steele and Cornyn and lets see what true conservatives look like. Thank you Jim DeMint

  • jmimac351

    and not to the RNC, NRSC, NRCC, etc, etc. I’ve read stories about how the Dems have a money advantage but I suspect they are just comparing these committees. I’m still giving directly to Rubio and now to Adams in FL-24 running against Kosmas.

    It occurrs to me that this wouldn’t have been nearly as easy even 10 years ago without places like this and the internet. Just like people are going around the MSM and to other sources for information, so too are we going around the NRSC and directly to candidates for respresentation.

    Hey Cornyn, there’s a new Sheriff in town and he aims to kick you out of Big Whiskey. Better hop on your horse and get your giddy up on.

  • SoFiMil

    –I?ve read stories about how the Dems have a money advantage but I suspect they are just comparing these committees.–

    This has the makings of a great analytical piece.

  • dudette

    been booted? He always chooses losers. I only send $ to candidates. Until the Repubs figure out what is going on and move on from their Elmer Fudd status, they get zip from me. Goose eggs.

  • romeg

    to Fix Congress than it will be to fix the RNC.

    These elites are so entrenched and ensconced in their sinecures and so dependent on each other that they have no accountability to or fear of the rank and file.

    How do we fix this?

  • thamesttp

    I didn’t know there were24000 voters in Alaska. Anyway, the GOP is at it again. They will divide the party and lose. They have no idea how to calpaign effectivly. We need tough conservatives who will make Nancy Pelosi and Harry Reid brerak out in a cold sweat!

  • RealQuiet

    But they won’t. What amazes me is that the NRSC is dumping money into this by sending lawyers to help Murkowski. I wonder if I smell Mitch McConnell behind this. If Miller wins, that’s another Senator who would be inclined to vote for Jim DeMint as Senate Majority Leader. Just a thought.

  • jmadisonfan

    it is apparent that the the Repub establishment has an infestation problem of its own. Sen DeMint and the other Conservative ADULTS who will be joining him after Nov 2 will need to bring their extermination equipment with them to Washington. Thanks Erick for continuing to shine a light on these contemptable creatures . . . Sunlight is also a great way of disinfecting these sorts of things

  • SoFiMil

    .

  • tngal

    that we haven’t been informed of? These candidates,- or individuals in the case of MI-01- who are unhappy the way primaries turn out then run as a third party for the general merely ensures a dem win by splitting the republican votes.

    I blame Crist this cycle. He started this when his poll numbers weren’t going the way he wanted now everyone’s trying it.

  • Scope

    and hopefully Miller’s lead will hold. Maybe this is a good sign that voters are finally electing on character, policy positions, and who will listen to their voices in Congress, rather than on whose voice they heard the most on TV and radio. I’ve been waiting for the day when money couldn’t buy elections.

  • Scope

    and stimulated certain groups who take that government money and send it back in the form of campaign donations. It’s supposed to keep Democrats in power forever.

  • indyjohn

    that is the Republican establishment is in desperate need of a thorough cleansing. The party fundraising, leadership, and policy organizations have been gradually seized by a bunch of grasping, bureaucratic insiders who care more about perpetuating the Big Government Status Quo Gravy Train than they do about defending the Republic, the Constitution, and individual liberty. These compliant, self-serving, cynical, pusillanimous, shallow frauds must, if our descendents are to live as citizens and not subjects, be swept from their petty fiefdoms.
    The time has come for the moneychangers to be driven from the temple. This primary season has been a good start.

  • takemccain2

    These two don’t seem to have a clue to STAY THE HELL OUT OF PRIMARIES and let the voters choose their candidate. Cornyn and company are taking what should be a historic election cycle for Republicans and turning it into a nightmare, all because of their loyalty to beltway co-workers.
    This has to stop and the only way it will is when no one is sending another cent to the RNC and all it’s affiliate committees. There are still primaries left where real conservatives can throw out these pretenders and we can get real leaders elected who grasp that the United States Constitution trumps the ” Traditions of the Senate.”

  • Scope

    some in our own party crying that the Republican infighting will wreck the party. This is a fight for the heart and soul of the Republican party. It is a fight against the Ruling class elite R’s that have worn butt marks into their seats in DC, and those that are serious about turning our country back on the right track. The voters are turning this around slowly but surely, despite the pushback by the RINOS. Who gives a dang what the Democrats say, they have plenty of their own infighting going on.

    Cantor is doing the same thing in the House with his recruitment of puppet young guns that will be beholden to support him and his eliteist big government plans in Washington, just the same as Cornyn is doing in the Senate.

    I still want to know if Murkowski will have to declare the DC attorney’s fees on her donation disclosure forms. If not, it can’t be legal, but, after all we are talking about a Murkowski here.

  • apen

    The veneer of the two party system has finally worh through. It really is on party of political class playing the people. They fear being outnumbered by true patriotic representatives simply because they will face real investigations and real prosecutions and an end to the scheme of wealth building they have engineered. The professionals must go if central power is to be broken.

  • america1st

    this is the reason I stopped donating to any party organization. In my case, this was (mumble) decades back. Same reason I don’t give anything to any blanket group, as inevitably it contains elements for which I have less than no use.

  • fpete13527

    I hate having to harp on it….but the GOP leadership is so disempowering (by design) that it continuously makes me vomit.

    Cornyn, Jesmer, Cantor and the rest have time after time shown that they have one goal and one only…….support progressive liberal R’s that will propagate their existence.

    I will continue to empower conservative R candidates individually and take back the GOP…from within. However, in addition, the current GOP leadership needs to be slam dunked….strong and hard now, ..and removed in Nov. forever

  • gamechange11two

    Lonnie Lee Snyder may be disqualified from running in MI-01 because he is not registered to vote anywhere in Michigan.

    This week the Board of State Canvassers tied on a vote to remove the “tea party” from Michigan’s 2010 ballots. For now the tie means ” tea party” candidates are off the ballot. Lawyers are at the ready.

    For more news on the amatuers in the “official” Michigan tea party, go here:

    http://www.petoskeynews.com/news/article_f2bd43fe-ac6b-11df-8c07-001cc4c03286.html

    For a quick look at where the split the vote effort in Michigan stands, go here:

    http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0810/41383.html

  • Scott

    Maybe if we had you in that position, you could help steer the NRSC and the other congressional leaders in the right direction.

    This kind of stuff is really frustrating.

  • okiejim

    and Cornyn just don’t get it yet. They fear losing their “inside-the-beltway” power instead of joining America and hearing the people. We want change, not Obama change, not business as usual change, but real change. Change that gives the power back to the people and the states. Change that controls our borders. Change that encourages business instead of treating them as the pariah. Change that does not allow our federal judger to legislate from the bench. Change that prosecutes the criminal instead of law abiding Americans (2nd Amendment).
    You Congressmen and Senators who have been entrenched in Washington that you are unable to see that the problems we face are caused by you need to step down. Maybe you will get the message in November.
    To fight the primary results in Alaska is so on the wrong side of right that it is shameful. Back off and let the people of Alaska determine who they want to represnt them.

  • DirtyDave

    Whatever happens in 2010, Big John Cornyn needs to go to a corner and wait out his term. He is a dolt, a bungler and an embarrassment to Texas.

    I never thought he would be a RINO.

  • fpete13527
  • 1stsgt

    He is one of my senators, but will not get my vote when he runs again. I won’t vote for a dem but will vote for whoever runs against him. Same applies to Hucthison. Aslo the RNC gets no more money from me.

  • bobojake

    Reid and pelosi calling Republicans Nazi, racists, all the pig pen talk out of the obama crats.
    Please pay attention to the momentum that runs overs the obama crats on NOV 2nd. The are going to get the politically ash kickin they have had a comin for over 40 years.

  • bobojake

    Reid and pelosi calling Republicans Nazi, racists, all the pig pen talk out of the obama crats.
    Please pay attention to the momentum that runs overs the obama crats on NOV 2nd. The are going to get the politically ash kickin they have had a comin for over 40 years.

  • Scope

    It sure sounds that way when you say- “The veneer of the two party system has finally worn through.”

    Can you please explain what you mean by that?

  • chipbennett

    Scozzafava was running for the NY-23 House seat, so the NRSC wasn’t directly involved/responsible; but, otherwise, spot-on!

  • ihateliberals

    in power just doesn’t understand the problem. We the people want to regain uor power in Washington. for too long we have continued to let the left and the Soft right rule us. the soft right being Republicans that are liberals. John McCain is a perfect example of the soft soft right. AZ passed a border protection law the John opposed and yet when it came time for his re-election he lied to the people of AZ and they bought it. I’m afraid thre are still pockets of people that don’t get it either. This November shoule be about cleaning house. On both sides of the idle. Every incumbent should be losing thier bids to return to DC. It doesn’t matter how good we think they are they are still part of the problem,

  • swami7774

    Do I understand correctly that none of the 16k (or however many) mail-in ballots has been counted yet? By “not counted”, I mean not tallied and awarded to a candidate.
    If that’s so, we’ve got our own Franken-stein monster looming.

  • dambama

    Quit fighting Constitutional Conservatives!

    Quit your support of the “good ol boys”

    Use your money to fight democrats!

  • dambama

    This is a very good idea!

  • JoeG

    But feeling that there isn’t enough distance between the parties doesn’t mean a third party.

    I think a third party is a non-starter. We need to take the party back from the Republicrats and make it the Republican party again.

  • audax

    What happened at the “Republican ?unity? party on Thursday in Anchorage”? Can we get an update? Thanks, Greg

  • dambama

    He has done more to help Constitutional Conservatives elected than anyone!

    He is listening to the people. More importantly he understands and supports the Constitution, unlike most of his colleagues.

    This is a guy I could support for President!

  • IJB

    Snyder was likely to be an also-ran.

    Wilson is actually planning on spending *millions* to buy that race as an Indie. I pray it doesn’t work…

  • calgacus

    Why did you ever give to the RNC, NRSC, or NRCC?

  • calgacus

    There are some very good conservative up for re-election this year who deserve re-election. Many congressmen in particular. In the Senate- Jim DeMint, Mike Crapo, Richard Shelby, Tom Coburn.

    Still, I am very optimistic about the new crop of conservative senators-

    Angle, Miller, Buck, Lee, Moran, Paul, Toomey in particular.

    I also like Ron Johnson, assuming he wins. Self-funded candidates like him and Scott in Florida are not in the hands of big donors and the party machine.

  • etexfisherman48

    8/27/2010

    David L Lamon
    It is tempting to say Cornyn, Murkowski and the rest of the leadership in the Republican Party just don’t get it but that really wouldn’t be true. The fact is they do get it and are terrified of getting thrown out of office so when in Rome do as the Romans do or stand together with the rest of the career politicians to rebut the anger and potential onslaught of “We the People”. An example of where Murkowski?s heart and mind really is lies in her cuddling up to the Libertarian Party to get on their November ballot. This is illustrative of the mindset of these people. In other words, do anything to stay in power. This is not the spirit of a servant, which our constitutional form of government demands by definition as in by the people for the people. Truth is “it’s all about the “I” and “Me” and what I want without any regard for what “we the people” want. It further illustrates why ?all incumbents should be fired? I mean every single one of them because they all after a while in Washington get poisoned from the atmosphere created there by the special interest money changers.
    Washington as most of you know by now is just too corrupt to allow a representative to stay past one or two terms and in reality in the senate only one term because six years is plenty of time to get corrupted. The argument but I am on such and such a committee sucks buttermilk because if all are on equal ground or standing that doesn?t matter. Besides, it is past time we quit sending people to Washington for what we can get out of it. Every time one group gets something from Washington which pays for it with your tax dollars someone else suffers. This mindset has to stop because of its corrupting influence on society as a whole. Government should do nothing more than provide the vehicle that allows the creative genius of ?we the people? to create markets followed by prosperity. Also, look at what they have created for themselves retirement wise, a system nobody else has and excludes themselves from the same things they impose on the populace.
    By the way, a further illustration to prove my point about the leadership of the Republican Party is this; the Libertarian Party’s platform is as bad as the Democrats because they believe in letting the gays alone and marry if that is what turns them on, legalize mind-altering drugs and use all the drugs you want and government shut up, and in general the mind-bent philosophy of a Libertarian is “if it feels good do it” like we see in most religions today. This is totally against the core principles of Republican Party or what was the party, which once stood for Conservative Principles meaning individual?s taking responsibility for themselves, the righteousness of God, family and staunchly against these things Libertarians are supportive of doing. So put that in your pipe and smoke it.

  • mkozikowski

    how the NRSC can even question why they are running so far in the rears regarding donations.

    They are taking a stance totally orthogonal to the desires of the people. They will no longer give to RINO cause.

    All we can do is hope we don’t get another ‘Franen-Vote” situation.

  • alamo294

    Why does Lisa Murkowski need money if all that remains is to count the absentee ballots? I mean, does money talk at this point?

    The answer to that must be: DUH

    BTW, I’ve sent back every GOP appeal for money in the last I don’t know how many years with my answers to every question and the comment that I have no intention of helping the Republicans continue to betray their constituents. I don’t trust the Republicans who are in power.

    But I fear for the ones who are true conservatives – look what happened to all those “good guys” once they hit Washington in 1994 and were indoctrinated in the fine art of getting their bills out of committee and getting anything they supported passed. With a handful of exceptions, Washington is corrupt, through and through.

  • bk
  • tngal

    He’s got a petrosky tea party backing him but he’s not running tea party per se. He’s said he’s put up a couple of million $ already from what I’ve read and said he would spend whatever it takes to win. .Scratch that.. Whatever it takes to make sure benishek doesn’t win.

    Guess he didn’t want to spend his personal resources in the primary. Just let everyone else spend and has it out then jump into the fray.

    Scope has convincing arguments that wilson is a paulie.

  • chihank

    and the NRSC supports it, then GOP elites lose any credibility left with the grassroots.

    How can the NRSC embrace a Murkowski indie bid, while at the same time bash Charlie Crist and Tom Tancredo.

  • f2000

    info@nrsc.org 202-675-6000

    1. Whoever the winner is will be the representative of the party on the ballot in November. Appearing to interfere in the process and overturn, or influence, the results is likely to alienate the roughly 50% of the voters that showed up for Miller. What strategy does the NRSC have for mitigating the loss of nearly half if it’s reliable voter base if they decide to stay home in protest?

    2. Whoever the winner is will be the representative of the party on the ballot in November. Will Miller be, or feel, welcome in the party that tried to keep him off the ballot should he emerge the winner? Should the party make an effort to be transparently impartial in the absentee and validation process so that the eventual winner can be seen as a true part of the party they are selected to represent?

    3. Both Miller and Murkowski are members of the Republican Party. Both are seeking the same office Does the NRSC owe the same level of loyalty to all of it’s members, or is it the policy of the NRSC to favor some members over others? What criteria exist for that favoritism?

    4. The party is an organization that operates within a democratic system of government, and relies on the trust of the electorate. Is there concern within the NRSC that interfering, or being seen to interfere, in the process may cause an erosion of trust in the party even beyond the borders of Alaska? Is there concern that the absence of trust that the party exists to represent the people may cause voters to seek alternative outlets for their votes, or to not vote at all? Would a loss of voter confidence as described above ultimately hurt the republican party by causing some number of elections to go to the democrat on slim margins that might otherwise have been won?

    5. Is a fight to save a candidate that lost despite a huge advantage based on incumbency, name recognition and spending a responsible use of the limited funds that the NRSC has at it’s disposal?

    6. With more and more money going to candidates directly, rather than through the major party committees, is there concern that the perception of these actions will further limit the ability of the NRSC to positively influence elections in the future?

  • f2000

    The phone answering lackey said they are only involved to make sure things go right… that Miller had never contacted the NRSC before so they haven’t been working with him… that they are considering adding him to their web page.

  • constitutionalconservative

    This is a fight for the heart and soul of the party. We may take some casualties on the battlefield but we need to join the battle if we want to win it. We are not going to win every seat that we might have if we’d played it safe and voted for establishment, do-nothing RINOS.
    But we have a very good chance of electing 6-8 Jim DeMints this cycle. The possibility of doing that is worth any reasonable risk.

  • wormyguy

    If the LP actually agrees to put awful Lisa Murkowski on their ballot line, I’m going to change my registration to unaffiliated. I’ve written them an email regarding the matter.

  • soljerblue

    I’ve told my TP chapter, and I repeat to anyone who’ll listen that no matter what happens November 2nd, this is the first battle of a long war. It’s a war many of us older geezers may not live to see won, in fact. But, whomever, and how many, conservatives get to DC next year the FIRST fight, both House and Senate, is to “cleanse” the Augean Stable that is the GOP leadership in both houses. Cornyn, McConnell, Boehner, Kantor, the whole @#$% lot of them! We’ll never be successful against the opposition until we rid the leadership of across-the-aisle-itis.

  • gamechange11two

    Having Snyder out of the race is still a plus. He was entered, not to win, but to suck votes away from the conservative. Not a true “also ran”. Having the entire “official” tea party in Michigan benched is good news here.

    Fortunately, McDowell is not running well. I haven’t found any numbers, but my search found more than one remark about McDowell’s ho-hum candidacy.

    This isn’t good news at all, but it isn’t a lock that Wilson will throw the win to McDowell.

    If anyone wants to tell him what they think, here:

    Glenn@WilsonForUSCongress.com

    Here’s a bit from his campaign site:

    “As I constantly get requests to drop out of the race I become more convinced the people?s voice will never be heard and the same old rhetoric will surely follow. The obvious message is your vote will not count if you vote for an independent. Guess what? You, the voter get to make that decision and together we can make the difference. ”

    Sound like a great way to throw away a vote.

  • SoFiMil

    ..

  • johnm

    Only a fool would give money to the NRSC.

    They supported Lincoln Chaffee, because he was electable.

    They supported Benedict Arlen, because he was electable.

    They supported Charlie Crist, because he was electable.

  • marinr

    are the ones who REALLY don’t get it.

    Cornyn understands very well the threat to insiders posed by tea party candidates — that’s why he’s pulling out the stops to defeat them.

    apen nailed it above: there is really only one party and it consists of dynastic elitists.

    To give us the illusion of choice some of them call themselves “Democrats” and others call themselves “Republicans”, but they all belong to one group of overlords who intend to rule over us rather than represent us.

    We need to be as ruthless toward them as they are to us. They must be not only defeated but destroyed if we want the United States to return to “government of the people, by the people, for the people”.

  • renny

    by grass roots activists with real fiscal conservative ideas.

    If the fed. budget and the entitlements are not seriously addressed and restructured, we will devolve into a 2nd-world debtor basket case, lose our military superiority (not that the left cares there; they think they are somehow protected by the invisible hand of some medieval geni), and what is left of business manufacturing and productivity.