GOP’s new challenge: Stopping the next Todd Akin
Talk to Republican strategists, and they’re in a no-win situation. It’s the Goldilocks dilemma: In 2010, they got behind favored candidates, and it backfired in states like Delaware and Colorado, where outside involvement wasn’t welcome. They then stayed out of competitive primaries in 2012, and saw unelectable candidates emerge in Missouri and Indiana.
Even Republican voters are divided on how to approach the issue. Former NRCC deputy political director Brock McCleary commissioned an (automated) poll last week asking whether Republican voters thought party leaders should play favorites because voters often pick candidates too extreme to win, or whether they should stay out even if it means losing to Democrats. The responses divided evenly: 34 percent wanted party involvement, 34 percent wanted them to stay out. Damned if they do, damned if they don’t.
“The best thing the NRSC can could is recruit the best possible candidate they can get their hands on, and build a very strong political team around that candidate,” said one senior Republican strategist. “Most importantly, none of it can be done in public. It has to be a strictly behind the scenes effort so as not to allow the candidate to be perceived as the Washington-picked person.”
To that end, one of the most important players in the effort is newly-minted NRSC vice-chairman Ted Cruz, who was tapped to be a bridge between the establishment and the grassroots.
Blowback
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Would it be too difficult for the NRSC and NRCC to recruit and support candidates who are both conservative and electable?
DKCZ on January 30, 2013 at 7:24 PM
How about stopping the next Romney?
besser tot als rot on January 30, 2013 at 7:25 PM
GOP’s new challenge: Stopping the next Todd Akin
Does Romney ring a bell?
John McCain?
Bob Dole?
Hello? Bueller…?
sharrukin on January 30, 2013 at 7:26 PM
how about some oppo research during the primaries so we can figure out who the kooks are. and for the millionth time Akin was backed by a combination of mike huckabee and democrats who thought (correctly) that he would be the easiest to beat.
bannor on January 30, 2013 at 7:26 PM
What they should be doing is purging the Romney’s McCain’s Lindsay Graham’s, MerklCOwSky.
Effectively the party has become a 5% differentiated Democrat light party. If you got a computer to work 5% faster, you would barely tell the difference at the end of the day.
What we need is a party that gives back the power to the states and citizens at a rate of 50% a year. What we have are two parties, where one is working to steal more power at a rate of 50% a year and the other wants to only steal 47.5% a year.
astonerii on January 30, 2013 at 7:26 PM
Why the eff do we have to hear this crap all the time? This constant disparaging our own over & over again is nuts. And it does not endear the new bosses to me either.
Blake on January 30, 2013 at 7:26 PM
Funny, I thought their new challenge would be stopping the next Mitt Romney: an unelectable squishy moderate looking to sell out the base which their rose-colored glasses prevent them from seeing.
But then again, that would require that the establishment learn from experience.
Stoic Patriot on January 30, 2013 at 7:27 PM
Please. Who would they have backed in Missouri? Probably Akin – he was the only one “in their club.” And why would they have not backed Mourdock? There was no history (that I’m aware of) to suggest that he was going to flub a debate question like he did (not to mention the fact that he probably wouldn’t have been mortally wounded in a world without Akin).
besser tot als rot on January 30, 2013 at 7:28 PM
Gee, I don’t know. Would it be too difficult for the TruCons to resist labeling a conservative candidate a RINO because they’ve been recruited by those organizations?
Because that’s what happened in Colorado and Nevada in 2010.
KingGold on January 30, 2013 at 7:30 PM
How about concentrating on finding good candidates instead of stopping others.
portlandon on January 30, 2013 at 7:30 PM
This is like Prevent Defense. It never works.
portlandon on January 30, 2013 at 7:31 PM
No, it wouldn’t. And that didn’t happen. You just like to say “TruCon.” Who was the “recruited” candidate in Nevada? What evidence do you have that either would have won? Or even done as well as the candidates who actually did run?
besser tot als rot on January 30, 2013 at 7:36 PM
The recruited candidate in Nevada if I recall correctly was a lady who ended up embarassing herself out of contention with a quote about chickens.
Stoic Patriot on January 30, 2013 at 7:38 PM
The Nevada establishment candidate in 2010: http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-503544_162-20003163-503544.html
Stoic Patriot on January 30, 2013 at 7:40 PM
The best thing that the NRSC and the Republicans can do is stop operating under the false premise that the most statist candidate is the “most electable” candidate. Amazingly, Republicans seem to think that only Democrats can win unless Republicans can fool the people into thinking that the Republican will be just like the Democrat.
besser tot als rot on January 30, 2013 at 7:42 PM
The “chickens for checkups” line, while awkward, is not only chicken feed compared to Sharron Angle’s race-losing “Second Amendment remedies” remark, but also was the linchpin of Harry Reid’s smear campaign to hamstring Lowden, whom his polls had determined was his strongest possible opponent.
A smear campaign, I might add, that people like you were only too happy to oblige.
KingGold on January 30, 2013 at 7:44 PM
A smear campaign… you mean like the one conducted by the establishment against Akin?
Stoic Patriot on January 30, 2013 at 7:45 PM
She was actually recruited? That’s sad. Those three candidates were all poor. I would have chosen Tarkanian, myself. Mostly because I hate Duke and UNLV got robbed. I know. That was his dad, but whatever. That is how you make decisions when you have three crap candidates. Similar “logic” is probably how we got Obama this time.
besser tot als rot on January 30, 2013 at 7:46 PM
I never thought much about Lowden either way. You’re right about all 3 faring poorly. I’m guessing that the establishment backed Lowden not only because she had the squishier past, but also because she was “easy on the eyes” so to speak.
Stoic Patriot on January 30, 2013 at 7:47 PM
You are an amazing hypocrite. This is what you do in spades every time you don’t like a particular Republican candidate.
besser tot als rot on January 30, 2013 at 7:48 PM
the R party is not really a proffesional organization. This stuff isn’t brain science…well, it is in a way.
Training and development combined with relevant recruitment are good things. Take role playing. I grant that Akin is probably not the bright bulb…but his problem was that he never had any experience with a hostile press (remarkable really)
So, you have Atkin, you sit him down for a few weeks of intensive training, role play, video taping, etc. Basic communication skills and dealing with hostile press can be Trained. People have been doing this for decades, since the advent of 60 minutes etc.
It is non-professional of the R party to Not do this. But we have had a series of these (George Allen) and the Rs seem not able to learn. They would rather have someone they know and trust…like Allen, or old money like Castle.
they are a seriously dysfunctional party.
r keller on January 30, 2013 at 7:50 PM
No, I mean a deliberate attempt to manipulate the conservative voters in Nevada into choosing the weakest possible opponent, an effort which was wildly successful.
And do you actually have the stones to suggest that Akin was a great candidate if not for the GOP trying to muscle him out of a race he had already lost?
Because, if so, everything you’re posting must then be viewed through the filter of your obvious zealotry.
KingGold on January 30, 2013 at 7:50 PM
Like nominating a GOP presidential contender like Romney?
1.) To quote Yogi Bera, it ain’t over ’til it’s over. They didn’t attempt to muscle him out of a race he had already lost. They were attempting to muscle him out of a race that there was a high probability he would lose, and they increased that probability (deliberately) with the national outpouring of outrage that they demonstrated.
2.) I’m not suggesting Akin was a great candidate, but he did have a conservative voting record, and I’ve seen little evidence to suggest that either of the other 2 candidates were any great shakes.
Stoic Patriot on January 30, 2013 at 7:54 PM
More Akin please.
lester on January 30, 2013 at 7:57 PM
Apparently being conservative and electable are mutually exclusive.
Unless you are Ted Cruz.
Myron Falwell on January 30, 2013 at 8:11 PM
Denial and ignorance. Perfect amalgam.
I wonder if you saw the polling data that suggests that nominating that moron actually set back the pro-life cause considerably? Oh, but he still could have won. Right.
KingGold on January 30, 2013 at 8:13 PM
You do that by placing a premium on style over substance.
Ya see – Mitch McConnell will never put his foot in his mouth during a campaign.
However – Mitch McConnell doesn’t so SH*T for this country either.
I don’t know why people complain about “career politicians” being the only people who run and why o why o why won’t REAL PEOPLE run?
And then, when a REAL person DOES RUN … they whine because he’s not the phoney that the smooth talking do-nothing is.
Akin put his foot in his mouth – but it was recoverable. However, when the GOP Ayatollah establishment collectively put their feet in his chest – it was game over.
On the flip side – the GOP Ayatollahs sank MILLIONS into Snott Brown’s campaign. Snottie was a smooth talking RINO.
He had his ass handed to him by a fake Indian.
Aiken came as close to defeating McCaskill (with ZERO GOP support) as Snott Brown did with the fake Indian.
Problem ain’t your candidates – it’s the GOP establishment.
HondaV65 on January 30, 2013 at 8:19 PM
Better Headline …
GOP’S NEW CHALLENGE: HOW TO KEEP CONSERVATIVE BASE VOTING FOR ESTABLISHMENT PICKED RINOS AS BASE GETS HIP TO THE SCAM.
HondaV65 on January 30, 2013 at 8:23 PM
Just how long was Todd Akin in congress. In the house from 2001 and in state politics from 86. The whole problem with Akin was not Akin but the Open primary and/or the Democrats running ads for the person they knew they can beat. Which was Akin from day one and well before he said a word.
How about before the right start eating their own they do some open primary challenge and run ads for the crazy democrat that no one has heard about but will win when the democrat base hear of them. Then lose big to the republican in the general.
tjexcite on January 30, 2013 at 8:28 PM
Liberals, elites, movie stars and a*hole propagandists masquerading as news anchors get to say every manner of asinine, offensive and COMPLETELY UNTRUE drivel, waving their sh!t around like it’s Chanel No. 5 and they get NOTHING in response. Some goofy old senator makes a dumb but well-intentioned comment and the whole GOP melts down.
This party HAS NO SPINE.
somewhatconcerned on January 30, 2013 at 8:28 PM
I’ve seen the polling data that showed that your preferred candidate set back the pro-American cause a lot more, that includes pro-life. Who do you think Obama will nominate for the SC? Romney snatched defeat from the jaws of victory against the most vulnerable Presidential incumbent in a generation.
sauldalinsky on January 30, 2013 at 8:30 PM
All they need to do is have people who are advocates in various areas do some panels on answering the tough questions. Some have been doing it for years, and they know the media tricks and how to counter them.
For example, there are people who are pro-life advocates who themselves were conceived by rape. They’ve had plenty to say.
The difference between the Dems and the GOP is that the Dems are willing to stand and fight for their ideology–such as it is. The GOP is like peer-driven teenagers who bend to the wind.
INC on January 30, 2013 at 8:31 PM
If the democrats did not run ads for Akin and if Sarah Steelman won the primary MOSEN would be red. Steelman was not establishment, Akin was until he opened his mouth and the wheels went bump.
tjexcite on January 30, 2013 at 8:32 PM
He still could have won, yes. Both parties have churned out other candidates with sex scandals and criminal records and nonetheless survived. I’m wondering if you’re capable of acknowledging that despite the establishment’s self-proclaimed “understanding” of how races work, they failed in Wisconsin, they failed in Maine, they failed in Connecticut, they failed in Massachusetts, the failed in Montana, and they failed nationally this past election.
I’m wondering if you’re capable of recognizing that for every Todd Akin “legitimate rape” quote you can point to a conservative having, we can point to a “47 percent” quote or a “chickengate” quote that someone from the establishment has.
I’m wondering whether or not you recognize that conservatives were warning that Romney would get trounced well in advance, while just prior to the election establishment hacks like George Will, Michael Barone, Dick Morris, and Karl Rove were preening about just how awesome Romney’s victory was going to be.
Stoic Patriot on January 30, 2013 at 8:34 PM
Seriously, want to avoid the next Akin? Ok, close the primaries and institute a run off for when the “nominee” is the guy who won 34% to the other two’s 33%.
Rogue on January 30, 2013 at 8:34 PM
Just turn it back on them. So some senate candidates have personal beliefs. Did you know there are some Democrats who believe it’s okay for a baby who is born to be abandoned by the mother? Should send shivers down your spine.
Oh yeah, it was Obama. And Gingrich was the ONLY ONE calling him out on his extremism.
John the Libertarian on January 30, 2013 at 8:47 PM
Concern-trolling by National Journal. Imagine that.
slickwillie2001 on January 30, 2013 at 8:55 PM
that is the key there .. closed primaries ….
Adkin would not have won ….
conservative tarheel on January 30, 2013 at 8:56 PM
Um…(Idiva style) , stop the next Chris Christie because he did bigger, broader and fatter damage to Romney then a dozen Aikins.
BoxHead1 on January 30, 2013 at 9:21 PM
Is this the Rubio thread?
Bmore on January 30, 2013 at 9:32 PM