Tea Party Over as Business Wins Republican Primaries
The Tea Party is pretty much over for the 2014 midterm elections, with the limited-government movement losing four of yesterdays most closely watched races in Republican primaries from Georgia to Idaho.
In its power struggle with the Republican Partys business-oriented wing, the Tea Party has now captured just one U.S. Senate nomination this year, for an open seat in Nebraska, and has lost any momentum it may have had going into the final, high-profile primary, a Mississippi challenge to Senator Thad Cochran on June 3.
Its a turnaround from 2010 and 2012, when untested Tea Party candidates grabbed headlines by winning Republican Senate primaries, only to lose most general elections to Democrats -- an outcome party leaders say cost them the chambers majority.
These results are a big step in the right direction, said Republican strategist Scott Reed, who advises the nations largest business-lobbying group, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce.
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After the 2012 election, Reed said the chambers leadership instructed its political operation to get more engaged in candidate selection and primaries to identify and support House and Senate candidates that believe in growth, governing and can win in November.
Georgia Republican Senate candidate, David Perdue, right, with his wife Bonnie after speaking to supporters at a primary election night party, on May 20, 2014, in Atlanta. Close
Georgia Republican Senate candidate, David Perdue, right, with his wife Bonnie after... Read More
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Georgia Republican Senate candidate, David Perdue, right, with his wife Bonnie after speaking to supporters at a primary election night party, on May 20, 2014, in Atlanta.
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Tea Party Over as Business Wins Republican Primaries