Jim DeMint: No, we don't need to purge centrist Republicans

Now, there are some people who believe we need to purge certain parts of the Republican Party — say, moderates or social conservatives. Is that something we should consider?

….No, I think a lot of Republicans we call moderates believe in the same principles we do, but their constituencies are a little different and sometimes the way our policies are presented by Republicans who are conservative like me are seen as “single issue” or things that don’t relate to their part of the country.

What we do need to do is recruit the best candidates we can for positions. We need to equip our candidates with the core principles of the Republican Party that they can translate for their constituents in a way that inspires them.

So, I am not trying to divide the party between moderates and conservatives. But, …those of us who believe in these core principles do need to talk to our colleagues, talk to a national audience, and show some of the folks here who are not voting like I am that these are winning ideas. If we take them boldly to the American people, they will send us back to office.