A good election for the big boys
Published May 8, 2014
by Rob Christensen, News and Observer, May 7, 2014.
This was a good election for the big boys in Washington, for deep pockets and for party connections.
Voters tended not to be in a rebellious mood Tuesday, generally giving their votes to candidates who were well within the mainstream of their party. The Republican candidates who won tended to be deeply conservative, well-financed, but also politically seasoned and well-connected to their national parties. This was an insiders’ election.
In the marquee race, the Republican establishment hoisted state House Speaker Thom Tillis on their shoulders to help him win the GOP Senate nomination – including the holy trinity of conservative politics: the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, the National Rifle Association and National Right to Life. As much as any figure, former White House adviser Karl Rove was the handmaiden to Tillis’ victory.
The victory did not come easy. Despite championing what he termed “the conservative revolution in Raleigh,” which was hailed by the tea party but generated a “Moral Monday” backlash, Tillis had a Mitt-Romney-like hard time closing the sale with many GOP primary voters.
But the Senate race was not the only place where the national party and its allies won Tuesday.
• In another good sign for the establishment, 2nd District Rep. Renee Ellmers of Dunn was supposed to be in trouble with her tea party supporters because she had befriended the House GOP leadership.
But strong primary opposition to Ellmers never materialized, and Frank Roche, her challenger, was never able to make her support for immigration reform a campaign issue.
• In the 7th District GOP primary, former state Sen. David Rouzer of Benson, who had the backing of U.S. House Majority Leader Eric Cantor, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, American Action Network and YG Network, defeated a candidate from the right in Woody White, a New Hanover County commissioner. Rouzer was also attacked on the immigration issue.
• One race where the Washington establishment did not seem to be faring as well was in the 3rd Congressional District, where Republican Rep. Walter Jones’ anti-war votes and other stances had rubbed the House leadership wrong. Washington groups poured money into the district. Jones prevailed over challenger Taylor Griffin, a former George W. Bush aide. Jones wielded his own brand name, having served 20 years in the House, where his father represented parts of Eastern North Carolina for decades.
• It was also establishment connections, this time in Raleigh, but not Washington, that helped District Attorney Phil Berger Jr. lead the field in the 6th District GOP primary. His father, Senate leader Phil Berger, is the most powerful political figure in Raleigh. Berger was likely to face a runoff July 15 with the second-place finisher.
• It was a mixed result in the N.C. Supreme Court race. Justice Robin Hudson, a Democrat, backed by much of the judicial establishment, appeared headed toward the General Election. But the Republican effort, backed by GOP groups in Washington that ran ads accusing Hudson of decisions that help child molesters, failed to squeeze her out in the primary. She appears headed toward a November contest with Superior Court Judge Eric Levinson, a Republican. This was a case where a TV ad was viewed as too harsh, voters recoiled, and it ended up backfiring.
• If there was to be one clear outsider victory Tuesday night, it might be Democrat Clay Aiken, a former “American Idol” contestant, who was in a close race with Keith Crisco, who was commerce secretary in former Gov. Bev Perdue’s administration.
An Aiken outsider victory would be an exception to the rule. And on Tuesday night, Aiken was hoping he would be no runner-up.
http://www.newsobserver.com/2014/05/06/3840869/christensen-a-good-election-for.html
May 8, 2014 at 7:14 pm
Norm Kellly says:
Tillis was supported by the 'holy three' of conservatives. So.
Who is K supported and backed by? People like that nut job Harry Reid. Socialists like Steyer. Unions across the country. What libs refer to as 'outside groups' when referring to money spent by conservatives.
So, libs, what's the difference between conservatives supporting Republican candidates, either inside the state, outside the state, or from Washington, and socialists supporting Demoncrat candidates, either inside the state, outside the state, from Washington, or from unions? Why is it a problem for libs that conservatives across the country want Republicans to take control of the Senate as well? Getting the Senate in the hands of Republicans, at least some of whom will be conservatives, is definitely better than leaving it in the hands of those who believe continued deficit spending, regulation, socialist programs like obamacancer, and raising the minimum wage are good policies for the country.
Tillis had a hard time closing the sale with some conservative voters? This is a statement from a lib, trying to discourage Republican voters. It's called attempting to suppress the vote. But some chose to vote for the right candidate, the TEA person, while others simply voted for who they expect to most easily send K packing! Given the choice, I'd rather have the constitutionalist TEA person also. But the most important aspect of this next election, for the Senate anyway, is to make sure K's is a one time win. He didn't have a hard time, he had challengers yet still won. Won by enough that there is no need for a run-off. Case closed. In a single vote. If he beats K by getting the same percentage of the vote, he will still be the victor. And we will have sent K home, where she can do no more damage to the state or nation.
So Jones won. In opposition to the desires of the Washington establishment. What conclusion can be drawn from this? None. Some 'establishment' picks won, some didn't. So. The important thing is that the House MUST stay in the hands of Republicans; and the Senate must change to Republican control. Once we have control of both houses of Congress, we can then start trying to replace RINOs with conservative constitutionalists.
Clay's campaign was/is silly. His ad made no sense. He got support from teachers apparently. Why? Cuz he was a teacher? How many votes did he get because he's a singer? How many votes did he get because he was on Idol? What are his qualifications, other than being a special needs kid teacher? The ONLY thing he told voters he was interested in is making sure Washington gets more involved in local school policy and spends more federal money on local school issues. Both the money and the involvement in local school issues are OUTSIDE the scope of Washington. Local school issues are supposed to be handled by the local school district. Just like Common Core is supposed to be a set of standards, but was taken over by Washington to make it a curriculum instead. Doubt me? Check out how the feds have responded to the only state that has abandoned the Common Core curriculum. The feds have threatened the money going to this state unless they get back on the bus. The feds are trying to force the state to stick with Common Core because it's the libs opportunity to control what kids learn, and properly indoctrinate the kids. Why else would the feds respond so foolishly to the state making it's own choice? So Clay's campaign is about 1 single issue, and an issue that doesn't belong in Washington. Why would anyone vote for him then? Lib minds are all mixed up and permanently set, that's why. Concrete. And the inability to think logically. It's always emotions with libs.
Libs commenting on Republican stuff is just plain funny. Opens ones mind, for us conservatives anyway. We can't take much of what the libs say seriously though. Most of what the libs tell us about our elections is simply intended to discourage us from showing up at the voting booth when it really matters. Voter intimidation. Voter suppression. At least they hope. Like when it was a choice between socialist obama and RINO Romney. Conservatives stayed home. Like they would if McCain were to run. RINOs aren't enough different from people like K. At least we KNOW where K stands.
