Last night in Wisconsin the state Republican Party tried a few parliamentary maneuvers to drive tea party members from the ranks of the GOP. For reasons I cannot begin to fathom, the Wisconsin GOP seems willing to sacrifice tea party energy in the Scott Walker recall in order to save Tommy Thompson’s Senate bid.In Indiana, Eric Cantor has weighed in on behalf of Barack Obama’s favorite Republican Senator, Dick Lugar. Just as every major conservative group lines up with Richard Mourdock, Eric Cantor begins urging Democrats to turn out for Lugar.But Indiana and Wisconsin are not the only playing field. More and more reporters are rumbling that Eric Cantor is going to actively engage in House races to combat the tea party. He wants a more docile, pliable, controllable caucus — one that will do as it is told by its party leaders, not its constituents.The proof of this is in North Carolina’s 8th Congressional District. If the Tea Party wants to fight it out instead of retreating, it needs to support Dr. Scott Keadle in North Carolina.Frankly, given just how terribly Rene Elmers has treated the tea party that worked so hard to get her elected, going all in for Dr. Keadle might also be somewhat cathartic.

Keadle’s opponent is Richard Hudson. There are many testaments to Hudson being a good man and I won’t dispute them. But what is certain is that Eric Cantor, who in Indiana wants Democrats to save Richard Lugar, wants people in North Carolina to support Richard Hudson.Consider that it was Club For Growth endorsed candidates holding the line on the debt ceiling when everyone else was caving.Consider it was Madison Project championed candidates who, when everyone else was giving in to spending deals, were willing to hold the line and demand the Democrats spend less.The Club For Growth, the Madison Project, and scores of other free market conservative groups are backing Dr. Keadle. We have the opportunity to pick this seat up from a Democrat and, even better, replace that Democrat with a conservative willing to stand up to his own party against its big spending too.Or . . . we can settle for another yes man for Eric Cantor.