Hat tip to Be John Galt:
Newsmax reports that the “tea partiers” and grass roots conservatives in Utah claim to have enough delegates within the Republican Party to effectively “take it over” at the upcoming May 8 convention.
In a surprising development that sets the stage for a dramatic political showdown, tea party and grass-roots conservatives tell Newsmax they have seized control of Utah’s GOP delegate system, and are now in a position to select which candidates will represent the party in the midterm elections.
“Our feeling is that the majority of the Republican Party delegates are now tea party people,” Brian Halladay, one of the founders of the grass-roots Utah Rising organization, tells Newsmax.
Utah GOP leaders say they can’t be sure, but concede the activists’ assessment may be accurate.
Incumbent Sen. Bob Bennett may get the shock of his life at the nominating convention:
A tea party takeover of Utah’s GOP would appear to be particularly bad news for incumbent GOP Sen. Bob Bennett. Despite Bennett’s conservative record, especially on social issues, many tea party leaders are not pleased with some of his positions and have openly campaigned to unseat him. They are especially displeased that Bennett initially supported the TARP bailouts, a program he has since tried to end.
Dave Weigel of the Washington Post reported Tuesday that a recent poll of more than 1,000 GOP delegates in Utah showed that Bennett is the top choice of only 15 percent of them. Tea party favorite Mike Lee, an attorney and first-time candidate, was the top choice of 35 percent of the delegates polled.
Hansen is skeptical that Bennett is in as much trouble as that survey suggests, however.
A Rasmussen Reports poll of 620 Utah GOP voters released April 15 suggests Hansen may be right. The poll showed Bennett leading the GOP field with 37 percent of the vote, compared to 14 percent for Lee and 14 percent for businessman Tim Bridgewater, who previously made two unsuccessful runs for the House of Representatives. Former Congressman Merrill Cook was the choice of 6 percent of respondents.
It is important to note, however, that under GOP’s system in Utah, rank-and-file voters only get an opportunity to pick between the top two delegate vote-getters (and even that assumes neither candidate wins 60 percent of the delegates’ votes).
That means Bennett faces the nightmare scenario of being an incumbent senator unable to win his own party’s nomination to defend his own seat. That startling outcome would send perhaps the loudest signal yet that the tea party movement is exerting a strong gravitational pull on the Republican Party, pushing it to the right.
“If you’d asked me that two months ago, I’d of said I would be very surprised,” Hansen tells Newsmax of the notion that Bennett might not qualify to defend his own seat. “I would be less surprised today, after watching the turnout at the caucuses and what’s happened.”
A grass-roots takeover in Utah would mark the first time the tea party has assumed control of a state-level GOP apparatus. Nevada’s GOP also experienced a tea party surge. Clark County’s Republican Party, which presides over GOP activities in Las Vegas, is now controlled by grass-roots conservative activists.
To paraphrase Frank Sinatra, “If we conservatives can make it in Nevada and Utah, we can make it anywhere.”
Please read the entire Newsmax article. It is instructive about HOW to change “the Republicans” we conservatives all complain about. We have to BECOME the Party. We do that by UNITING INSIDE THE PARTY as precinct committeemen. See my blog link below for HOW to do it.
If you are a conservative, and not yet a Republican precinct committeeman, what are you waiting for? Besides, it’s fun. 
Thank you.
ColdWarrior, PC
Conservatives, UNITE! CHANGE the Republican Party and the world by UNITING INSIDE the Party as precinct committeemen. NOW!
————–
American first, conservative second, Republican precinct committeeman BY NECESSITY!
www.theprecinctproject.wordpress.com, so you can say, “I became a precinct committeeman before it was cool.”
“[Primary e]lections have consequences, my friends.” — John McCain
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This is why we don't need a Tea "Party"
disintelligentsia (Diary) Wednesday, April 21st at 10:24PM EST (link)But a Movement. There’s a party that’ already there ripe for the taking (over)! If the residents of Sin City and Mormonland can pull it off, we can certainly pull it off in most of the “flyover country”. That’s what Erick’s been talking about – the TP must transition from political rallies to actual political power.
“Our peculiar security is in the possession of a written Constitution. Let us not make it a blank paper by construction.” –Thomas Jefferson to Wilson Nicholas, 1803.
Sounds like they have done that...
jerry39 (Diary) Friday, April 23rd at 5:04PM EST (link)At least in this case, but I am not sure how that fact makes the tea parties superfluous? The only thing we know is that in at least a couple of states where tea party activity is high, conservatives have made significant inroads into the state R party. We do not know that without the tea party the same thing would happen. So at the very least we could say that the tea party would need to stay around long enough to replicate this effort in 48 other states. But as has been articulated well elsewhere, even that assumes that the only useful function of the tea party is to push conservatives into office right now and that after that occurs, there is no more use for the tea parties. I believe that 1) we need the tea party pushing conservatives into office more than just “right now” but for many years to come, and 2) that the tea parties have use on more levels than just filling central committees with conservatives. As has clearly been seen this year, the tea parties can do things the R party at any level simply isn’t equipped to do.
Question
JamesSmith130 Thursday, April 22nd at 12:05AM EST (link)Can Bennett do what Crist is planning to do in Florida and run as an independent?
No according to the article
JoeG Monday, April 26th at 12:49PM EST (link)Under Utah law, once a candidate files to run in a primary, they can not run as an independent after they lose a primary.
That sounds like a really good law.
This is good
crassus (Diary) Thursday, April 22nd at 2:36PM EST (link)Utah is a state where we have no need to compromise for “electability” in the general election. Mike Lee is exactly the kind of man we need. If he does not win, then let it be Cherilyn Eagar as our nominee. I suspect that Bob Bennett will not make it out of the convention and that is a good thing. Repeatedly, he has not simply sold out the party, he has sold out or country.
Personally, I wouldn’t be to sad to see Orrin Hatch “retired” soon. His stand on D.C. Voting Rights is absolute junk, as are his repeated attempts to pass the DREAM Act, takeover the charity industry with the GIVE Act, and similar.
You're forgetting Hatch's terrible willingness...
Justin Spagnolo (standardcandle) (Diary) Thursday, April 22nd at 3:48PM EST (link)to give the benefit of the doubt to ALL supreme court nominees, I think he’s trying to show fairmindednes, but come on… he’s given enough cover to bad nominees with really really bad soundbites…
I am happy to see that Bennett may be out, I think its just a matter of time for Hatch. Not to say they aren’t good patriotic americans… but they have become a product of their Washington D.C. environment, and have forgotten the people they represent at home.
“Knowledge will forever govern ignorance; and a people who mean to be their own governors must arm themselves with the power which knowledge gives. “ -James Madison
PC's do it
ebone Friday, April 23rd at 7:47AM EST (link)Go cold warrior. Great job. Thanks
Ebone PC
Did anyone see Karl Rove dismiss
jenniferjmilleresq Friday, April 23rd at 8:57AM EST (link)some (a minority) in the Tea Party as “ne’er-do-wells who couldn’t get elected precinct committeemen.” The link is below and the context was his impression that most in the Tea Party have not had any political experience other than voting in Presidential elections. That’s the FIRST mention I’ve heard of “precinct committeemen” other than here at RedState and Cold Warrior’s blog. I think they know what’s coming. Rove’s advice to Tea Party members notably omitted any advice on becoming a precinct committeman.
http://www.realclearpolitics.com/video/2010/04/22/karl_rove_on_tea_party_power.html
jennifer, thanks, I had not seen Rove's comments
ColdWarrior (Diary) Friday, April 23rd at 11:07AM EST (link)I, too, noted the absence in Rove’s advice to the Tea Partiers about doing anything effective to actually change the leadership of the Republican Party. That’s the established Republicans’ (including, apparently, Rove) GREATEST FEAR.
His advice was to talk to the candidates, educate oneself on the issues of the day, pledge to vote, and then try to educate 25 more people and get them to pledge to vote and also to educate 25 more people. None of his advice included anything about actually getting into the real ball game of politics — party politics — INSIDE the Republican Party itself. All of his advice related to things OUTSIDE the Republican Party.
Rove had nary a word about actually UNITING the Tea Partiers into a real, honest to goodness POLITICAL POWERHOUSE by invading the Republican Party itself and taking it over. Nary a word about all the precinct committeemen vacancies. Nary a word about how easy it is to become a PC. Nary a word about how PCs elect the leadership of the Party. Nary a word about how, IF the conservative Tea Partiers directed their efforts into UNITING in the Republican Party, as PCs, they could actually change the outcome of the all-important, traditionally-very-low-turnout PRIMARY elections.
If anyone knows all of this, it’s Karl Rove. As I keep harping, the “powers’ that be” greatest FEAR is that the conservatives in the Tea Party movement will figure out this basic civics, and that’s why they almost NEVER, with rare exceptions (such as Sen. Russell Pearce and Sen. Jack Harper and Sen. Carl Seel here in Arizona), talk about this. Indeed, I think Rove actually meant to say “couldn’t get elected dog catcher” but made a mistake and let slip, instead, “couldn’t get elected precinct captain.”
Thanks so much for posting that clip of Rove!
ColdWarrior, PC
Conservatives, UNITE! CHANGE the Republican Party and the world by UNITING INSIDE the Party as precinct committeemen. NOW!
In 2012, will YOU become a “voting member” of the Republican Party in your precinct?
Where it all started. Twitter @kaltkrieger
Unified Patriots.
Learn how to GOTV at The Concord Project and at Procinct and
Rove is a cynical politico first and a conservative second
houstoneagle (Diary) Monday, April 26th at 3:08PM EST (link)I like the guy but just understand the establishment is what brought him up and that’s what he’s comfortable with, and the tea party movement represents upheaval he isn’t too comfortable with.
“We preach the conservative gospel of individual liberty and choice and point out the only choice the Democrats want you to have is whether or not to kill a baby.”–Erick Erickson, D-Day 2010
Don't forget it was also Rove
Scope (Diary) Wednesday, April 28th at 8:56AM EST (link)the chief architect of the Bush administration, that also gave us “compassionate conservatism.” He recognized, as he stated in his book, that he was at fault for not getting Bush’s message out, and allowed the Libs to take over the message, and turn it in to a Bush hate fest. Rove is too entrenched in DC politics as usual. In my personal view, he ranks in about the same place as the NRSC in promoting those that still think the citizens want to reach across the isle and compromise. He is not helpful to the conservative movement swirling all around him.
I'm reading the book right now.
Flagstaff (Diary) Wednesday, April 28th at 9:13PM EST (link)I’m finding very little so far to quibble with. He comes across to me as definitely conservative, and he’s also been involved in getting Republicans elected to public office since 1969. He doesn’t say, so maybe “compassionate conservatism” was coined by Rove, but it is a pretty good description of W’s outlook on politics. It wasn’t that the term was coined and Bush was forced to conform to it. It tied together all four of Bush’s primary campaign messages: faith-based initiatives, education reform, middle-class tax cuts, and entitlement reforms.
You can blame Bush for that, not Rove. And I don’t think there’s any blame associated with the campaign; it worked.
“The press is so powerful in its image-making role that it can make a criminal look like he’s the victim and make the victim look like he’s the criminal. If you aren’t careful, the newspapers will have you hating the people who are being oppressed and loving the people who are doing the oppressing.”– Malcolm X, Audubon Ballroom, December 13, 1964
Flagstaff- Sure the campaign worked
Scope (Diary) Wednesday, April 28th at 9:40PM EST (link)but what became of Bush further into his presidency. I have not read the book, but, I understand that Rove took responsibility for not recognizing that the media was defining Bush, and the Iraq War, and no push back was ever done. Of course Rove would come off as a conservative in his own book. It all depends on what description/meaning you attach to the term conservative. There is no possible way that Rove was not responsible for the now degraded term “compassionate conservative.” The most recent debate over illegal immigration falls squarely on what can be termed “compassionate conservativism.” You can also add No Child Left Behind, and Medicare Part D to that discussion.
You can do all that.
Flagstaff (Diary) Thursday, April 29th at 12:17AM EST (link)The blame for what happens in government ultimately falls on the electorate, and so does the credit.
Do you think it would have been better had Al Gore been elected? John McCain (in 2000)? The fact is that Bush believed in what he said and did, and he kept campaign promises, something Barack Obama is doing, too. But Rove didn’t pick those issues, Bush did.
Of course Rove doesn’t insult himself in his own book, but so far he hasn’t passed any blame for mistakes onto anybody else, either. Rove and Dick Morris aren’t always right in their opinions, but they both have insights into political campaigns and maneuvering that we don’t have. (I’d give Rove the edge, but Morris is more interesting.)
I’ve used up a lot of pixels here during the last five years, and quite a few of them have been about election strategy for our candidates. All I have is the seat of my pants; Rove and Morris have lots of experience and voter data that illuminate the electorate’s mind for their advantage.
I saw that clip when it was on the air. First, I agree that wasn’t Rove’s finest hour, but in his defense I admit that I’ve grown very disenchanted with Greta as an analyst. Having said that, I think they both sleepwalked through the interview, missing many significant points about Tea Partiers. Greta wasn’t even listening at the end. Second, Rove’s 5 item pledge might be OK, but personally I think it would require more organization than the Tea Parties have, disregarding the fact that most of the Tea Partiers are already past all five of his items except for the idea of taking it to 25 more people. And even on Fox, the talkers NEVER get it right about just who the people at the rallies ARE, and WHY they are there. Neither did Rove.
BTW, I agree that compassionate conservatism is NOT good for us. After all, it implies there is something uncompassionate about conservatism otherwise. But explaining that nuance during a campaign is a tall order. That’s why I believe that our candidates have to set out their principles clearly and how they apply to important issues. And it doesn’t hurt to keep promises to repeal Obamacare, cut other spending, and hold the line on taxes.
One thing Rove adds to the mix is his position that a successful candidate has to connect with the people on a visceral level. That may be what is killing Romney more than any other factor. And it certainly explains Obama’s success, too, because connect viscerally is exactly what he did. ( I naturally agree, because I’ve called the same thing being a compelling speaker. He explains it a lot better, though.)
“The press is so powerful in its image-making role that it can make a criminal look like he’s the victim and make the victim look like he’s the criminal. If you aren’t careful, the newspapers will have you hating the people who are being oppressed and loving the people who are doing the oppressing.”– Malcolm X, Audubon Ballroom, December 13, 1964
The origin of "Compassionate conservative" is related
Flagstaff (Diary) Thursday, April 29th at 4:45PM EST (link)on page 122, at the end of a chapter mainly about the 1998 Texas Governor’s race.
I much prefer “conservatism with a backbone” today.
“The press is so powerful in its image-making role that it can make a criminal look like he’s the victim and make the victim look like he’s the criminal. If you aren’t careful, the newspapers will have you hating the people who are being oppressed and loving the people who are doing the oppressing.”– Malcolm X, Audubon Ballroom, December 13, 1964
glad to share..
jenniferjmilleresq Friday, April 23rd at 2:35PM EST (link)Great analysis Cold Warrior!
Great job ColdWarrior, next thing you know, the people will be dictating how to represent them
hickorystick (Diary) Friday, April 23rd at 8:18PM EST (link)Hickorystick
I'd be excited if it wasn't Utah
bking (Diary) Sunday, April 25th at 1:23AM EST (link)I’m a Christian values conservative.
But Utah is majority Mormon and that religion is pretty creepy and communist despite the dressings.
ht tp://boredwhiteguy.blogspot.com/
We can do without the anti-Mormon attacks.
houstoneagle (Diary) Monday, April 26th at 3:10PM EST (link)I’m an anti-Romney agnostic, not that it matters. The birther arguments have a lot more merit than calling out someone’s religion as “creepy and communist.”
“We preach the conservative gospel of individual liberty and choice and point out the only choice the Democrats want you to have is whether or not to kill a baby.”–Erick Erickson, D-Day 2010
I'm with you, tho we disagree :)
mommyozzy Monday, April 26th at 3:29PM EST (link)houstoneagle -
I’m a pro-Romney Protestant Christian, in the interest of full disclosure, and I fully agree that the anti-Mormon attacks are senseless. While I do see merit in the fear many have of elected officials with background in certain religions known for theocracy (like for instance, Islam), the fear of Romney’s Mormon religious beliefs baffles me. The Mormon population has never been interested in injecting their beliefs into public policy, unlike the Muslim community which has pushed for Sharia law in multiple European governments. From what I can tell, for the most part, they would just like the government to leave them the heck alone. I feel the exact same way.
Romney has no intention of pushing Mormon beliefs on the American people if he were to be elected. Even if he DID want to, the Mormon community is nowhere near large enough to overcome the vast majority of WASP’s who would revolt. It’s just a silly thought.
Besides, does it really matter how the man plans to spend his afterlife if he has the sense and know-how to dig our economy out of this bottomless Pit of Despair.
Is anyone else beginning to think Obama was using the royal ‘We’ when he said “Yes We Can”?
A former Utah Mormon thanks you...
Justin Spagnolo (standardcandle) (Diary) Monday, April 26th at 4:38PM EST (link)I mean I know many think I’m going to hell, but as long as that doesn’t keep me out of the conservative circle, I can deal with finality of my mortal probation knowing I was able to assist in the cause of freedom!
Romney isn’t my 1st choice. As a Mormon and being raised in Utah, I think Romney is a fine person, and he did a fine job as govenor of Massachussetts. However, I don’t understand why it is assumed that He would be my default choice for POTUS.
I was raised to think for myself, and to judge the content of ideas, not the charachter of the man presenting them. I wouldn’t go so far as to say Romney is a flip flopper, but I don’t think he fully represents conservatives… I think he will go further in his political career if he just said:
“I lean conservative, but let’s be honest, I was the governor of Massachussetts and what I bring to the table is business skills that can return government to as limited as possible, I can’t walk on water, and I can’t convince you that I’m not a scripted dork, but I mean what I say and I will attempt to deliver results on all of our shared desires.”
That said… I’m not sure who the candidate should be in 2012, but I’d rather see people like Mike Pence, or Bobby Jindal than Palin, Romney, or Huckabee… because all 3 to me represent their public images, and not the people.
“Knowledge will forever govern ignorance; and a people who mean to be their own governors must arm themselves with the power which knowledge gives. “ -James Madison
bking...
Justin Spagnolo (standardcandle) (Diary) Monday, April 26th at 4:08PM EST (link)you seem to me to be educated enough that paltry-minded insidiously slanderous remark would be beyond you…
full disclosure. I’m a mormon and I was raised in Utah. I’ve been actively engaged in conservative dicussions and in grassroots campaigning from a very young age. Nothing about my religion is “creepy” or “communist”.
My assumption would be that “Christian Values” conservatives are more interested in judging ideas and not people. Futhermore, I would assume that the tradition of uniting with others in any cause of Freedom would be well received, even if there are conflicting personal dogmas. If this is not so, then I digress, and I will spend my time not associating with moronic people.
However I think you’re a coward for hiding your petty religious disagreements behind some label that you belive justifies bashing the entire population of Utah for a religion that does not represent every citizen of the state. Yes the major religion of citizens in Utah is represented in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. That’s not the point so don’t bother responding with that lame argument. The point is… if people are your allies in fighting for freedom, don’t become a divisive jerk just because you’re NOT concerned for their eternal station after the politics of man have been retired from their existence.
“Knowledge will forever govern ignorance; and a people who mean to be their own governors must arm themselves with the power which knowledge gives. “ -James Madison
Right on
mommyozzy Monday, April 26th at 10:42PM EST (link)Even the Hollywood-hyperbolized versions of Mormons on HBO share the same core values (honesty, kindness, forgiveness, morality, ect.) with most other Christian sects. What “Christian Values” could possibly make one so fearful of Mormons, I wonder?
Is anyone else beginning to think Obama was using the royal ‘We’ when he said “Yes We Can”?
that says something doesn't it?
Justin Spagnolo (standardcandle) (Diary) Wednesday, April 28th at 10:17AM EST (link)I mean… when has Hollywood ever represented anything correctly? That being said… they still charachterize polygamists as Mormons, but are sympathetic enough to lead the average viewer with the impression that Mormons still practice polygamy, but it’s ok ’cause they’re nice people.
“Knowledge will forever govern ignorance; and a people who mean to be their own governors must arm themselves with the power which knowledge gives. “ -James Madison
Creepy is a value judgement
aesthete (Diary) Monday, April 26th at 4:26PM EST (link)which I won’t address, but communist is inaccurate. If anything, Mormonism has been criticized for being too attached to the American form of government, and for ascribing divine characteristics to the US.
The act of defending any of the cardinal virtues has today all the exhilaration of a vice – G.K. Chesterton
GOD BLESS UTAH!
tonywarren Sunday, April 25th at 11:43AM EST (link)Utah,using the precinct plan, has taken the first step to raking our Country back from the Socialist Democrats and the RINOs. Nevada has been successful and several other States are well on their way to taking over the GOP.
All it takes is for the Tea Party Groups to come together for the single purpose of taking Precinct Seats. All Groups can keep their own identity and purpose while agreeing on the universal principals of smaller government, lower taxes and cutting spending responsibly. Take over your Local County GOP and then take over the State. Network with the other Grassroots leaders in your State.
The National Precinct Alliance was created to address this one cause and that is simply educating people about what it takes. Now numbering almost half a million supporters, the NPA is responsible for seating over 60,000 Precinct Delegates and Central Committee members. Join us and find out how easy it is in your own State to Rock your GOP. Just go to http//NationalPrecinctAlliance.org and register.
Won't that make them part of the problem?
selenium Monday, April 26th at 7:57PM EST (link)They’ll just become corrupt like the GOP and start spending donations in lesbian bondage clubs.
stavrogen@gmail.com