‘Tea Party’ movement has state GOP moving to the right

November 9, 2009
By Billy Dennis

Rich Miller has a warning for Illinois Republicans:

Establishment Republican politicians all over the country are becoming more freaked out by the angry, anti-tax, anti-illegal immigration, anti-Obama, anti-whatever tea party protestors and are mimicking their rhetoric. Even in Illinois, where top GOP politicians mostly took a pass on the harsher aspects of the “Reagan Revolution” rhetoric of the past 30 years – not wanting to alienate the general electorate – the trend is becoming obvious.

[snip]

The politics of this aren’t too hard to figure out, particularly for the gubernatorial candidates. The GOP’s right wing is angry and energized and will vote in comparatively large numbers in the February primary. Alienate them and off the island you go.

Even so, the candidates all need to take a deep breath and try to realize how silly they’ll look to general election voters if they keep this up and do manage to win that primary race. They’re so fearful of being attacked from the right that they’re in danger of making themselves unelectable when the rest of the voting public enters the picture.

Folks, pandering to the fringe is one of the reasons why the Republican Party is so weak in Illinois right now.

Illinois would be a lot better off if there was more balanced representation. One party rule — especially over a long period of time — is a lousy way to run the state. It makes the majority arrogant, and removes from the minority party any responsibility for the state of the state.

The Democrats are vulnerable going into the 2010 elections, but never underestimate the ability to GOP to blow an opportunity.

If the GOP is counting on disgust over Blago alone to carry them to victory, they will lose again.

Remember, voters didn’t  hesitate last time to vote for Blagojevich — despite the fact we all pretty much assumed he was a crook then.  Blago will have been out of office for close to 22 months by the 2010 election comes around.

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5 Responses to “ ‘Tea Party’ movement has state GOP moving to the right ”

  1. AnotherExJSer on November 10, 2009 at 5:42 am

    It’s becoming increasingly obvious we need a real third party.

  2. Bob on November 10, 2009 at 1:05 pm

    OH GOD NO! Please don’t let them pander to those anti-taxes and anti-big government fringe groups. Next thing you know they might be mistaken for that dirty fringe group the Libertarians. It’s better they keep pandering to the free spending, big government crowd like they have been.

  3. Precinct Committeeman on November 10, 2009 at 4:25 pm

    Those same voters could not tell the difference between Jack Ryan, Jim Ryan, Jeri Ryan, or George Ryan

  4. Billy Dennis on November 10, 2009 at 4:31 pm

    I believe I could ID Jeri.

  5. AnotherExJSer on November 10, 2009 at 9:12 pm

    I’m pretty sure Jeri Ryan could get elected. Resistance is futile.