DeMint’s bold foray is certain to shock some of his colleagues because senators almost never wage direct political attacks against each other.

Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.), for example, has pledged not to campaign against Reid in Nevada.

And Reid has had a non-aggression pact with his home-state Republican colleague Sen. John Ensign (Nev.) for several years.

But DeMint has set aside Senate protocol as he tries to defeat liberal colleagues and elect solid conservatives such as Buck and Sharron Angle, who is running against Reid.