It’s often frustrating how we are forced to go to battle with the left on the bandwagon of flaccid and uninspiring Republicans that lack core principles.  That was not the case last night when Scott Walker won his decisive victory against the best efforts of the union thugs in Wisconsin.  Scott Walker is a man who sought power not for power’s sake, but to implement the free market reforms that he campaigned for.  That sort of intrepid decisiveness is what inspired a following of savvy Tea Party activists.  That is what made all the difference.

Only a few months ago, conventional wisdom dictated that Scott Walker would be sacrificed on the altar of Big Labor as they were prepared to throw their biggest punch ever – a punch worth $21 million.  At the very minimum, it was clear that Lt. Gov. Rebecca Kleefisch would be replaced by a union-friendly thug who would act as a thorn in the side of Walker for the rest of his term.

The actual results?  After voters saw that Walker delivered on his promises, they gave him more support than in 2010.  He won by 7 points, carrying 60 of 72 counties.  He also won 36% of union households and 54% of independents.  Kleefisch won by a similar margin.  And that’s with same-day registration that is able to spawn “118% turnout” in urban areas!

People often wonder whether we can beat the juggernaut of Democrat machine politics.  Based upon historic results, there seems to be conflicting data.  The reality is not an enigma.  It takes three elements; a committed and principled Republican, money, and ground game.  We had all three in Wisconsin and we were able to crush the union machine with its full prowess.

Remember that Walker is the first governor to survive a recall effort.  The fact that the opposition is able to mount a successful petition drive usually indicates that the incumbent is unpopular enough with a lot of people.  That was unfortunately the case in Wisconsin too.  There are enough dependent voters who are gullible to the misinformation propagated by the media/union complex.  They were enough to constitute a large minority.  But the Tea Party turned out to be a stronger force.

Yet, the Tea Party only mobilized for a man with the principled integrity of Scott Walker.  Walker needed the Tea Party, but the Tea Party needed a candidate like Walker to support.  If we are looking to replicate this success in other states, it is this model – the symbiotic relationship between the Tea Party and a devoted, inspiring conservative – that will win the day.

The Tea Party is ready to roll.  Thanks to their dedicated activists and high tech GOTV tools like American Majority Action’s Gravity, they can replicate the model is all states that are relevant to winning a majority in November.  AM Action, The Wisconsin Recall Action Fund, and many other Tea Party organizations performed superbly on the ground.  They did so because there the Tea Party was actually represented on the ballot.

They are ready to take the show on the road for November.   The question is do we have the candidates – from president on down to Congress – to inspire the minions of liberty-loving patriots?

Cross-posted from The Madison Project