If you’re wondering just how angry conservative political leaders are about Senate Minority Mitch McConnell’s fallback plan to avoid a debt default, check out the latest bright line from Red State founder — and Tea Party weather vane — Erick Erickson.
“In the future, as we support candidates for the U.S. Senate in Republican Primaries, we will not support any candidate who goes on the record supporting Mitch McConnell as Senate Republican Leader,” he insists.
This is not an absolute demand that Republican Senators oust McConnell no matter what. If no preferable alternative emerges, he’ll give them a pass. But it puts the squeeze on incumbent Republicans, and GOP candidates challenging Democratic incumbents, to withhold support from McConnell, or reject him outright.
In practical terms, this probably doesn’t mean all that much for McConnell, or the rest of the GOP. Most Republican-held seats aren’t in cycle this election, and many of the Democratic seats that are in cycle aren’t in play.
Brian Beutler
Brian Beutler is TPM's senior congressional reporter. Since 2009, he's led coverage of health care reform, Wall Street reform, taxes, the GOP budget, the government shutdown fight, and the debt limit fight. He can be reached at brian@talkingpointsmemo.com.
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