Mediaboss Marketing

So far, the tea party has notched few victories in the 2014 Republican primaries. Republican incumbents aren't taking anything for granted. But the biggest test comes June 3 in Mississippi.

So far this primary season, insurgent Republican candidates have little to show for their efforts in major races. Matt Bevin (Kentucky), Bryan Smith (Idaho), and Greg Brannon (North Carolina) all lost by wide margins in their primaries to better funded, GOP establishment-backed candidates.

Subscribe Today to the Monitor

Click Here for your FREE 30 DAYS of The Christian Science Monitor Weekly Digital Edition

The only challenger with tea party credentials to win a Senate or House primary so far is Ben Sasse of Nebraska. But Mr. Sasse, an Ivy League-educated university president, clearly does not aspire to be the next Ted Cruz. Hes already pledged to play nice with Republican leaders in the Senate.

Already, too, its clear that establishment Republicans have learned the lessons of 2010 and 2012, when undisciplined insurgents cost the party Senate seats and likely the majority. And they have acted on those lessons.

This also holds true in Mississippi, where on June 3, a strong tea party-backed challenger presents the biggest threat this cycle to a sitting senator. That race is tight, and has gotten nasty. Six-term Sen. Thad Cochran could well lose, but not for lack of a Herculean effort by the Mississippi Republican establishment and outside groups trying to save his job.

In this third election cycle since the birth of the tea party, both sides of the GOP divide have shown evidence of lessons learned:

Incumbents must take insurgents seriously. As the saying goes, there are only two ways to run for office, scared or unopposed. That means lining up your ducks early, and coopting potential opponents. Early in 2012, Senate minority leader Mitch McConnell (R) of Kentucky was already getting ready for 2014 including the possibility of a tea party primary challenger.

By June 2012, he had more than $6 million in his war chest. Soon after, he hired Jesse Benton as his campaign manager. Mr. Benton has deep tea party ties, and ran the successful 2010 insurgent campaign of Kentuckys other senator, Rand Paul. Senator McConnell had backed then-candidate Pauls primary opponent, but no matter: Senator Paul supported McConnell in Tuesdays primary.

More:
Do tea party losses show GOP establishment has learned its lesson? (+video)