As you know, I hate it when politicians — especially ones I like, such as Lindsey Graham — interfere in other people’s elections, which are none of their business.
Well, Jim DeMint, in his quest to be Godfather Without Portfolio to the Tea-flavored wing of the Republican Party — or to put it another way, a national political boss, like a Tillman or Tweed or Crump writ large — does it all the time. This case back here, in which he is telling a GOP candidate in Florida what he should and shouldn’t do, was typical.
Jim DeMint: Leading the conservative revolution?
1. South Carolina Republican Sen. Jim DeMint (R) threw his endorsement behind Weld County prosecutor Ken Buck (R) in the Colorado Senate race, the latest in a series of moves by DeMint to buck the Republican Party establishment in contested primaries.
DeMint called Buck “an authentic conservative” who has “rapidly gained momentum” in his primary fight against former lieutenant governor Jane Norton among others….
DeMint’s endorsement of Buck marks the fifth time he has backed a Senate candidate via his Senate Conservatives Fund PAC this cycle. His past endorsements include: former representative Pat Toomey (Pa.), former state House speaker Marco Rubio (Fla.), state Assemblyman Chuck DeVore (Calif.) and Railroad Commissioner Michael Williams (Texas). In all five races — including Colorado — faced candidates with varying levels of support from the party establishment. (Williams’ bid ended the day Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison announced she would not resign from the Senate after losing a gubernatorial primary last month.)
“Senator DeMint is helping strong conservative candidates around the country who have been overlooked by the Washington establishment,” explained Matt Hoskins, an aide to DeMint.
DeMint’s increased endorsement activity has riled some within the party who believe he is, at times, backing the more ideologically pure candidate even if that person simply cannot win the seat.
“Many in Republican circles are still waiting for Jim DeMint to explain how, in the real world, having only 30 Senators who agree with him on every issue rather than 60 Republicans who might not, would do anything to stop the Democrats from steam-rolling their agenda through Congress,” said one senior party strategist upset with DeMint’s decisions.
What’s clear is that — like him or not — DeMint has rapidly built himself into a forced to be reckoned with in conservative circles. That heightened profile — and the fact that DeMint is from the early-voting state of South Carolina — have led some to speculate that a 2012 presidential race might be in the offing.
Not so, according to one longtime Republican DeMint observer. “This has nothing to do with running for president,” said the source. “Jim DeMint doesn’t want to lead a government he wants to lead a revolution.”
That’s our boy, all right.
Wouldn’t it be cool if we could just have a senator who would represent us in Washington?
Oh, and showing that all things are connected…
Kathryn calls our attention to the fact that DeMint is also extending his reach down into NONPARTISAN local elections, as mentioned in a letter to the editor in The State today.
Assuming that letter is accurate (I haven’t seen the mailer), he’s backing Kirkman Finlay. This, if anything, is worse than Boyd Summers endorsing Benjamin. At least Boyd operates on the LOCAL level. DeMint’s partisan interference is within the context of his trying to be a NATIONAL political boss, and is therefore even more insidious…
I have confirmed with the Finlay campaign they did send out a flyer with the endorsement. I also told them it was a bad move that may alienate independent voters.
Better come down hard on this guy… he’s a grandstanding busybody like DeMint, right?
McCain jumps into the California governor’s race:
http://www.myfoxphoenix.com/dpp/news/text_only/mccain_endorsement
And here he is over in Colorado endorsing a congressional primary candidate:
http://www.coloradopols.com/diary/11013/mccain-endorses-lang-sias-in-cd7
And there he is in Massachusetts endorsing Scott Brown:
http://www.wbz.com/John-McCain-endorses-Scott-Brown-for-Senate/6023380
and back over to California to endorse a ballot question on protecting marriage:
http://www.christianpost.com/article/20080627/mccain-endorses-calif-initiative-to-protect-marriage/index.html
Geez… this guy is like the Where’s Waldo of endorsements!
Why is John McCain sticking his nose into California’s business? BECAUSE HE’S JUST LIKE EVERY OTHER CAREER POLITICIAN!
Luckily he has the Brad Warthen “Mavericks Get Out Of Jail Free” pass…
I received the mailer in today’s mail. It has endorsements from Senators DeMint AND Graham.
Doug, I don’t understand you. And one of the things I don’t understand about you is that you don’t understand me, when I’m being perfectly clear. (And especially, I have trouble understanding your constant attempts to paint me as intellectually dishonest — which of course is only the most insulting thing you can say to someone who spends as much time as I do saying exactly what he thinks, and exactly why.)
Why on Earth do you think I wouldn’t be critical of John McCain engaging in that behavior — if I were aware of it, which of course I’m not because, in case you haven’t noticed me saying it over and over, I DON’T PAY ATTENTION TO POLITICAL RACES THAT HAVE NOTHING TO DO WITH ME.
If I condemned Lindsey Graham for the same sin, why not McCain? Recently, I’ve had it brought to my attention that McCain is flopping around as lost as all the other Republicans, doing undignified things to kowtow to the less presentable parts of his party, and I’ve commented on how sad that is — that he should have the dignity to LOSE and go out with honor.
But mainly, I’m unaware of what he’s up to, because Arizona elections are none of my business.
Why do you make up these dishonest traits and ascribe them to me? Whence comes the compulsion? I don’t understand it; I really don’t…
It’s not intellectual dishonesty – it’s selective “outrage” at politicians you don’t like versus those you like. When DeMint does it, the scorn is apparent. When Lindsey does it, you just wag your finger and say “I wish you wouldn’t do that”.
You did it with this post. You ridicule DeMint and give Graham a very light backhanded tap for doing exactly the same thing.
I know you think Lindsey hung the moon and the stars. But he’s just good at playing both sides of the political game for his own benefit. Same for McCain.
It’s not dishonesty, it’s just being biased.
McCain is probably repaying favors from the presidential campaign. Besides, he belongs to Arizona. DeMint is “ours”… (there’s those quotation marks again)
@ Pat
“good one”