The rebuilding of the Republican Party continued last night as attorney MIke Lee won the Republican nomination - and basically the election - in Utah while Nikki Haley finally finished off Gresham Barrett in South Carolina for governor.
I've covered Haley before, but the goings-on in Utah are as important as what happened in South Carolina. Lee might be the most conservative candidate in the country right now, just read THIS article by the great Ramesh Ponnuru. He doesn't hold back his opinions on social security, medicare, and Obamacare. And while there is no real danger of Republicans ever losing this seat, the transition from Bob Bennett to Mike Lee is symbolically important. Bennett, the son of a senator, counselor to Majority Leader McConnell, and all-around political insider with a ton of clout in the senator but a growing record of moving away fro conservatism; in many ways embodied the bad brand of Republicanism in the country. Old, stodgy, and without much principle. Mike Lee, younger and politically principled, is the new conservative that is emerging across the country. And its only with candidates like this can Republicans win back power. The old guard failed and for Republicans to rebuild the trust of the country we must replaced the failed old guard with fresh, principled conservatives who won't betray our principles just for power. In that respect, Mike Lee is the real deal while Bennett and his endorsee Tim Bridgewater were not. Expect US Senator Mike Lee to cause havoc next year . . . in a good year.
As for Nikki Haley, I wrote about her importance before. But it cannot be understated the importance of Haley, like Lee, for the new Republican Party. Having conservatism being articulated by a young professional women, a daughter of immigrants, in a state with the racial and social history like South Carolina is a powerful message about this new conservatism being preached across the country. Haley, and congressional nominee Tim Scott, proves the message doesn't have to be diluted to win minority voters. Its about principles, articulation, and outreach. Both Haley and Scott come from the state house of representatives in South Carolina, so again Republicans are looking to local officials with their hand on the pulse of the folks. If Haley wins the general election, her opponent is credible in state senator Vincent Sheheen, Haley immediately becomes one of the most powerful women in the country. Unlike other female Republicans, Haley will sit atop the most important primary state in the GOP calender - no GOP nominee in almost a generation has won the nomination without winning the South Carolina primary. There is a reason why Mitt Romney - ye of a fourth place finish in 2008 - went to bat for Haley so big. So while Sarah Palin and Michelle Bachmann hold sway because of political principles, Haley will not only have power with conservatives but real power within the party given her stature as governor of the most important early primary state.
Last night was a good night towards re-branding the Republican Party as the home of the young, hungry, and principled conservatives rather than the old-stodgy, white, DC insiders who betray conservatism for more power and more federal dollars.
Senator Lee and Governor Haley! Sounds good to me!
Both are fantastic wins which will assist in re-gaining the majority. The Lee win is even more delicious since Sen. Bennett endorsed his opponent, Bridgewater.
Posted by: Gerrie Smith | June 23, 2010 at 02:10 PM