GOP insiders freak out: Could Tea Party blow ANOTHER election?

2012 was just the beginning: Republicans are stuck in a civil war that threatens to derail even more winnable races

PETER FINOCCHIARO

With the Republican Party being torn apart by its internal civil war, an ideological battle that pits establishment Republicans against the no-compromise Tea Party/Christian Right, party backers are doing their best to suppress the craziness as the 2014 midterms approach. But are they succeeding?

The Chamber of Commerce and an assembly of anonymous plutocratic donors are pumping money into local congressional primaries to prevent Tea Party-endorsed candidates from scoring nominations. The plutocratic wing of the party is terrified of losing control of the House, and of missing its opportunity to win the Senate on the back of evangelical candidates who make factually incorrect remarks about rape or declare masturbation to be a sin.

“There is a broad concern about having blown a significant number of races because the wrong candidates were selected, “said Steven J. Law, president of Karl Rove’s American Crossroads. “We don’t view ourselves as being in the incumbent protection business, but we want to pick the most conservative candidate who can win.”

The establishment wing is discovering that it’s hard to keep the crazy quiet when your party’s voter base consists of neo-confederates, white supremacists, know-nothing libertarians, and evangelical theocrats. Moreover, social conservatives are no wilting wallflowers when it comes to raising campaign money. A recent Politico piece reported that roughly 25 socially conservative groups combined to pull in more than $280 million in 2011 and 2012. Notwithstanding the fact that much of the Koch brother’s political spending goes to the ideologically insane, too.

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http://www.salon.com/2014/01/21/gop_insiders_freak_out_could_tea_party_blow_another_election_partner/