Reading the Washington Post is not something I do without prompting. Given that the beltway bomber’s typical scribblings about Republicans normally amount to various shades of hate-filled attacks, misquotes, mischaracterizations and lies, I don’t dive into the cess-Wa-pool often.
A current article/profile basically tells the Democrat meme about Virginia’s GOP if not the nation’s – that Republicans are at war with themselves.
What a waste of breath.
I’ve been listening and watching this drama play out for the last six years, and I’ve played a role in quite a few elections caught up in that drama. The odd part is that I’ve been on both sides, and sometimes on both sides in the same election cycle.
I’ve been with conservatives and I’ve been with the moderate/establishment. I’ve confused the heck out of some people that way, and been accused of all sorts of fun because I don’t bleed for the tea party, but I don’t genuflect for the establishment either.
I just win.
Not all the time, of course, but I’ve amassed over 40 victories for candidates I’ve advised, and learned a thing or two along the way.
One thing I am sure of is this – the Conservatives vs. Establishment war is a phony war.
It doesn’t exist, at least not in the real world. At a breakfast club meeting with 14 people at 7 AM on a Saturday, it may exist. At a high dollar club for members only it may exist. But out in the real world, it really doesn’t.
Here’s the secret – most Republicans see themselves as being conservative and establishment. Most Republicans consider themselves Reagan-level conservatives. Most Republicans also consider themselves pro-business. Most Republicans consider themselves Eisenhower-level Republicans who think government can win a war and create a transportation solution at the same time.
Most Republicans don’t care about primaries vs. conventions because they won’t vote in either of them. They just hope that their party nominates people whom they can be proud to vote for in the fall.
Ed Gillespie can win a convention and Eric Cantor can lose a primary. What’s the fight about?
Here’s the other truth – conservatives and moderates need each other. For most broad races where the districts (or states) are competitive, there aren’t enough conservatives or moderate activists to win by themselves. 100% litmus tests won’t work. These purge missions, whether designed to oust so-called RINOs or so-called Tea Partiers, are suicidal and not because they simply make our Party smaller, but because they make our Party less of a place where other people would like to be.
Another truth – every good Republican candidate is partially Tea Party and partially RINO. They are able to tout constitutional principles and defend them and they are able to draw widespread support among those that aren’t the core of the base.
Ronald Reagan raised gas and social security taxes and supported amnesty while he was winning the Cold War and slashing income taxes. Conservative or Moderate?
The answer – both.
And our answer is both. The Republican Party needs to be both conservative and moderate to win and move any of our policies forward.
