If Rick Perry runs, let me be the first to volunteer. Hands down he beats the entire Republican field under discussion and can actually win the general.

Fearing a Tea Party primary challenge, there are rumors that Snowe might run as an Independent in 2012. The Dems think they can have votes of Murky and Snowe on some important issues.

I think going forward, we need to have “Sore Loser Laws” which prevent primary losers from running in the general election.

thune is a ken doll with no leadership abilities.

and hatch is a clubby creature of the establishment.

at least the latter will save us from the “gop purges its ranks” media narrative.

What steams me about the earmark battle is that it’s a secret vote. I do not think there would be much support for earmarks if the entire GOP senate delegation had to stand up and be counted.

I remember all the attacks on questioning these guys as being RINOs and porkers.

I guess it isnt so preposterous now and I guess the true sneaky progressive slime that they are is coming out real clear….as it is with many other GOP Senators

They. Still. Do. Not. Get. It. But they will. Might take us another 10 years, but they are definitely gonna get the message.

That is really disappointing to hear about Senator Thune. I can’t say I’m as surprised by Senator Hatch.

This is the last one I recall seeing… glad to see this nonsense is over.

http://www.redstate.com/brentteichman/2010/05/11/john-thune-the-next-american-president/

Mew

He ran on pork.

It’s too bad we didn’t primary him this year.

Any GOP member of congress must see the current climate and get behind an earmark moratorium for at least the next year, if not two. It’s a no brainer.

However, we will see who exactly has the brains to recognize this, and who doesn’t. Those who vote against any moratorium will show that they have no brains, and need to be retired/replaced/voted out. There is no question that McConnell is a complete political power whore, and the American electorate will keep watching to see how the other ones perform.

I became a Utah delegate with the specific intent of removing Bob Bennett and my #2 reason for that (after #1 being how in bed he was with Big Finance) was his continued votes against any sort of earmark reform.

I have wondered where Orrin Hatch stood on this, because he is teetering on the edge of the abyss, where he could go the way of Bennett, or try and save his hide by becoming the most conservative Senator, as he was jokingly referred to on a number of occasions after the tsunami last week.

If he had half a brain at all, he would announce his retirement and go out on top. I think he will take the other route: Remain arrogant and power punch drunk, take the “you can’t live without me” line, and end up being embarassed by defeat. If you insist on that, Mr. Hatch, my Utah independent conservative friends and I would be happy to help you on your way.

For reference, how the Utah grass roots conservatives took out Utah incumbent Republican Sen. Bob Bennett:

http://www.redstate.com/coldwarrior/2010/05/08/2101-of-3500-of-75000-denied-bob-bennett/

For reference, Citizens Against Government Waste has compiled into a database information about earmarks and has the information in a variety of formats and summaries, including by individual member of congress:

http://www.cagw.org/reports/pig-book/2010/

According to the 2010 database, Hatch sponsored or co-sponsored 85 earmarks for a total of $148,375,000.

Thune sponsored or co-sponsored 48 earmarks total of $86,211,600

Those Republicans who don’t seem to “get it” on earmarks probably have not seen any great increase, back in their home states or districts, in participation by registered Republican in the Party itself as precinct committeemen; therefore, they don’t see any real reason to fear a primary challenge. Hatch ought to know better, based on the experience of Bob Bennett.

I believe if conservatives would, by the tens of thousands, flock into their local GOP committee meetings, that news would filter up (or down, depending upon your perspective) to the congresscritters and they would change their behavior, because such a surge by conservatives into the Party ranks would cause them to pause and think whether maybe, just maybe, they would be facing a challenge from the right in their upcoming 2012 primary election.

At the 2009 RightOnline conference, right after the first Redstate gathering, I was heartened when Erick Erickson outlined the Neighborhood Precinct Committeeman Strategy (which he termed “Project Coup”) to the crowd. Here’s the video. Watch the whole thing if you can, but the Strategy discussion begins at the 3:00 mark.

For Liberty,
ColdWarrior, PC
precinct committeeman
———–
American first, conservative second, Republican precinct committeeman BY NECESSITY!

Where it all started.

“The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing.”
- Edmund Burke

The Concord Project: Fighting for Freedom in the Fall

He will be primaried otherwise and lose. Jason Chafez would make a great senator.

We’re making a list,
checking it again
gonna find out who needs to get tossed
out on their can

Fiscal conservatives are coming to your party!

We know when you’ve been a spender
we know when you mocked and sneered
We know who needs to get put down
and get a kick in the rear!

Ok, not much of a rhyme, but you get the picture.

In my opinion no one who voted for TARP will be on the Republican ticket in 2012.

This means the ticket will probably be a Governor (you can see this already in the preference for Palin, Romney, Huck, Christie, Barbour, Daniels, etc) and a Senator who was not yet elected in 2008 *cough Marco Rubio cough*.

Get elected Senator from a state with 3 electoral votes? The guy must be deluded. Palin probably spoke in front of more people the last two weeks of the election than live in SD.

The last thing we need is another pencil neck Senator to become POTUS.

Well, guys…this is a really cute exercise in ripping John Thune (an electable, charismatic senator w/ a 97% conservative rating) based on a bunch of BS information provided by uncited, hearsay sources. Keep it up, and we all will be celebrating a 2nd Obama term after nominating another stellar candidate like Mitt EFFing Romney. Really awesome…

also support other potential candidates, but mostly support other candidates. It’s pretty easy to stab someone in the back when you don’t have to leave your prints on the dagger.

Bennett was never beaten in a primary. Tea Party activists gained control of the convention and he finished third there and wasn’t on the primary ballot. Had he been, he might have lost – or might have won.

If Hatch wants to run for reelection, you can bet his people will be working the delegates early. If he is on the ballot in a primary, beating him will be no walk in the park.

Like I told the Democrats in ’06, I remind those who think the TP will bend to their will forever: “You’ve won one in a row – don’t let it go to your head.”

He was one of the prime movers in ensuring that Murkowski didn’t lose seniority and committee assignments after losing the primary and then running against the party as an independent.

That puts a target on his re-election that I would be happy to punch through.