Its all about protecting loyal friends and eliminating a few    troublemakers.  
    Thats the business communitys goal in U.S. House elections    amid a power struggle between the limited-government Tea    Party movement and more traditional Republicans. While    control of the Senate is Novembers main prize, the U.S.    Chamber of Commerce is spending heavily in select House races,    including one in Idaho where the Republican primary is    tomorrow.  
    The nations largest business-lobbying group hasnt said how    much it will spend in the 2014 election, though it probably    will exceed the $33.8 million in 2010. The Chamber has already    aired television ads in more than 20 House and Senate races,    and its expected to intervene in key districts to defend    pro-business House Republicans against Tea Party opponents, or    to help business-friendly challengers unseat Tea Party    incumbents.  
    The aim is to send a chilling message to the Tea Partys most    zealous members, as well as bolster Republicans who have been    loyal to House Speaker John Boehner and taken tough votes, such as those    to raise the federal debt ceiling.  
    It all started in the Alabama special late last year, when one    candidate vowed to come to D.C. and shut the place down, said    Republican political strategist Scott Reed, who advises the    Chamber of Commerce. He lost and a strong conservative was    elected.  
    That race for an open House seat featured Dean Young, a    self-described Tea Party Republican who questioned President    Barack Obamas birthplace and pledged to shut down    the federal government over the Affordable Care Act. Defeating    him in the primary was business-backed Bradley Byrne, the    Chambers first victory since it pledged to be more active.  
    With Republicans expected to retain their House majority in    Novembers elections, a reduced Tea Party caucus -- now    numbering about three or four dozen members among the Houses    233 Republicans -- could give Boehner greater flexibility in    2015. It may decrease the intra-party fighting thats plagued    him since he became speaker in 2011 and help with passage of    business priorities, including infrastructure spending.  
    We are supporting candidates that are committed to the growth    agenda, understand and support the importance of governing and    can win in November, Reed said.  
    Tomorrows primary in a district that includes Idahos Snake River Canyon offers one of this    years purest tests in the intra-Republican fight. It pits    eight-term Representative Mike Simpson, an Appropriations    subcommittee chairman and Boehner ally, against Bryan Smith, a    lawyer and political novice aligned with the Tea Party.  
    If Smith fails in Idaho, it will raise questions about where    the Tea Party can score a major victory this year.  
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Chilling Election Message to Tea Party Is Business Goal