2012 elections

DeMint Targets Red-State Dem Senators In Fundraising Email

Eric Kleefeld | December 2, 2010, 9:42AM

Sen. Jim DeMint (R-SC)

Sen. Jim DeMint is already hitting the virtual campaign trail for the 2012 Senate races, National Journal reports, with his Senate Conservatives Fund leadership PAC sending out a fundraising email targeting four red-state Democrats who voted against the earmark moratorium.

The targeted Senators are Jon Tester (D-MT), Ben Nelson (D-NE), Kent Conrad (D-ND) and the newly-elected Sen. Joe Manchin (D-WV), who just won a special election and is up for a vote again in 2012. All four of them hail from states that were carried by John McCain in 2008.

"These senators are nice folks but they have ignored the will of the American people and they must be replaced with principled conservatives in 2012," DeMint says in the email. "That's where the Senate Conservatives Fund comes in and it's where you can help."

DeMint then adds that his PAC will need "at least $4 million" for these four targeted races.

AK-SEN

Even Murkowski Allies Wonder What She's Doing

Christina Bellantoni | September 21, 2010, 10:06AM

Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-AK)

Sen. Lisa Murkowski doesn't want to lose her Senate seat, so at first she tried to win the primary fair-and-square, even avoiding going negative. Now that she's a write-in candidate instead of on the ballot as a Republican, she's shouting "extremist" from Alaska's snowy mountaintops and using the same arguments against Republican nominee Joe Miller as the Democrats are. It seems like an obvious strategy -- until you look at the numbers and listen to party operatives on both sides who say she just can't win.

During her announcement Friday and in her media rounds Sunday, Murkowski launched what appeared to be the opening salvo against Miller, whose support from the tea party and Murkowski rival Sarah Palin propelled him to a surprise victory last month.

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2010 elections

Jim DeMint: Picking Horses Is About More Than Primaries

Christina Bellantoni | September 17, 2010, 11:50AM

Sen. Jim DeMint (R-SC)

Sen. Jim DeMint says he'd rather be in the minority with a bunch of rock-ribbed conservatives than be part of a ruling group of RINOs. He might just get his chance.

Some Senate Republicans have been privately trashing DeMint, whose track record with his Senate Conservatives Fund endorsing long-shot conservatives in this year's tough GOP primaries has been better than leadership's. The argument among some -- in very quiet whispers -- is that DeMint is not their kind of Republican and his candidates might have blown the GOP's chances at retaking the Senate this fall.

It only bubbled to the surface in news reports after this week's stunning Delaware race in which Christine O'Donnell shellacked Rep. Mike Castle, prompting analysts to shift the state back into the Democratic column from the likely Republican pickup it would have been with the far more moderate Castle as the nominee.

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2010 elections

Conservatives Attack Trent Lott After Former GOP Leader Bashes Tea Party

Christina Bellantoni | July 19, 2010, 4:38PM

Former Senator Trent Lott (R-MS)

Add former Senate Majority Leader Trent Lott to the list of Republican tea party bashers. Lott (R-MS) held little back in a Washington Post interview that was published this weekend, drawing the ire of conservatives far and wide.

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CA-SEN

Chuck DeVore To TPM: Jury Still Out On Whether Fiorina Will Be A 'Trainwreck'

Christina Bellantoni | June 18, 2010, 2:59PM

US Senate candidate Chuck DeVore (R-CA)

In the wake of a massive loss to Carly Fiorina, conservative Senate candidate Chuck DeVore is asking supporters to help him retire campaign debt, making no mention in fundraising emails of the former rival whom he once called a "long, slow trainwreck." Now that Fiorina (R-CA) is transitioning to the general election against Sen. Barbara Boxer (D), TPMDC caught up with DeVore to ask if he still foresees a trainwreck down the tracks.

"That's up to the candidate and the press. These things unfold," DeVore told TPMDC in an interview today. "Can she execute a sharply run campaign or not?" DeVore did say that from what he's seen in the days since Fiorina won the nomination, she's kept to conservative principles and "didn't wobble."

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2010 elections

Did John Cornyn Back The Wrong Horses? Inside The 2010 GOP Split

Christina Bellantoni | March 12, 2010, 11:50AM

Sen. John Cornyn (R-TX); inset: Republican Senate candidates Carly Fiorina (CA), Sue Lowden (NV), Gov. Charlie Crist (FL), Jane Norton (CO) and Dan Coats (IN).

Establishment GOP candidates across the country backed by the National Republican Senatorial Committee are struggling to gain grassroots traction over their primary challengers, with conservative darlings like Marco Rubio surging. It's a split illustrating the deep divisions in the Republican party as it seems Washington's establishment miscalculated who would be the better candidates from California to Florida.

Rubio is the best example, as Florida Gov. Charlie Crist's support - especially among Republicans - has plunged this year. That's one reason why NRSC Chairman John Cornyn is singing Rubio's praises and promising not to bash him despite backing Crist as the early favorite to win the open seat in the Sunshine State.

Sen. Jim DeMint's Senate Conservatives Fund has taken the lead to blatantly challenge Cornyn's candidates in California, Texas, Florida and Pennsylvania. After Republican divisions threw a wrench into the special election for New York's 23rd Congressional district last fall, the NRSC announced they wouldn't get involved in or spend money in these contested primaries.

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FL-SEN

NRSC Touts Eight Crist Fundraisers This Month

Christina Bellantoni | March 9, 2010, 6:07PM

Sen. John Cornyn (R-TX) and Gov. Charlie Crist (R-FL)

The National Republican Senatorial Campaign won't be spending money in the Florida Senate primary between Gov. Charlie Crist and former House speaker Marco Rubio, but they sure are helping Crist raise massive amounts of cash.

NRSC Chairman John Cornyn told reporters yesterday he endorsed Crist early in the process before Rubio jumped in, sounding wistful. He said while he won't walk back his Crist support because he is "honor-bound," he wouldn't be speaking ill of Rubio or dropping NRSC money into the Sunshine State.

According to a list of fundraisers sent out by the NRSC and obtained by TPMDC, there are 8 big-dollar Crist fundraisers being held over the next two weeks. There are seven in Florida, two in one day on Saturday. Crist also will join Sen. Saxby Chambliss (R-GA) and Gov. Sonny Perdue (R-GA) for a fundraiser in Atlanta on Monday.

Arlen Specter

Sestak To Specter: Don't Screw Over Dawn Johnsen Again

Brian Beutler | January 12, 2010, 12:10PM

Sen. Arlen Specter (D-PA) and Rep. Joe Sestak (D-PA)

Rep. Joe Sestak (D-PA), who wants Sen. Arlen Specter's (D-PA) Senate seat, is needling his opponent over his role in preventing the confirmation of one of President Obama's top Justice Department nominees.

In a letter to Specter, Sestak lays the fact that Johnsen's nomination stagnated and expired at his rival's feet. "Senator Specter, President Obama is giving you a second chance to support his nominee to lead the Office of Legal Counsel," Specter writes.

After you joined your Republican colleagues in successfully blocking Professor Dawn Johnsen from receiving a fair up-or-down vote last year, the President has decided to resubmit her nomination this year.

With Democrat Senator Ben Nelson opposed to Johnsen, but Republican Senator Richard Lugar strongly in favor, that means that all it takes is your vote to put a principled, qualified progressive in this key position.

Sestak goes on to allege that Specter might not want Johnsen--known for being a strong critic of Bush administration policies--to have the power to pull back the veil on a number of government scandals.

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Jim DeMint

S.C. Dems Blast Sen. Jim DeMint As Endangering Lives With Hold On TSA Nominee

Christina Bellantoni | December 29, 2009, 1:16PM

Sen. Jim DeMint (R-SC)

South Carolina Democrats have wasted no time attacking Sen. Jim DeMint for blocking the confirmation of Erroll Southers to be administrator of the Transportation Security Administration, suggesting his moves have threatened the lives of "millions of American travelers."

DeMint (R-SC) had placed a hold on the vote to confirm Southers because he wanted to debate the nomination instead of approve it under unanimous consent.

Democratic leadership will vote on the nomination when they return from recess next month.

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IL-SEN

Conservative Insurgent Candidate In Illinois Could Get Support From DeMint Group

Eric Kleefeld | November 23, 2009, 11:30AM

Rep. Mark Kirk (R-IL) and IL-SEN Republican candidate Patrick Hughes

Could Sen. Jim DeMint's (R-SC) leadership PAC, the Senate Conservatives Fund, be on the verge of getting involved in the Illinois Senate race, and opposing establishment favorite Rep. Mark Kirk?

DeMint's group held an online poll this past week, asking supporters to choose between Kirk, attorney and conservative activist Patrick Hughes, and "Other." As it turns out, Kirk came in third, even trailing "Other": Hughes 644 votes (73.9%), "Other" 132 votes (15.1%), Kirk 71 votes (8.1%), with "Undecided" and "No Response" totaling 24 votes (2.7%).

Hughes has met with DeMint twice, and is working to mobilize conservatives against the frontrunner. DeMint has taken the sides of more conservative candidates over the establishment in recent months, including Doug Hoffman in the NY-23 special election, Marco Rubio in the Florida Senate race, and Chuck DeVore in the California Senate race.

Kirk has worked hard to move to the right -- such as when he changed his position on the climate change bill, right in the middle of a speech to a local Republican crowd.

2010 elections

Conservatives Emboldened: DeMint Says 'Army Of Americans' Will Fight For Freedom In '10

Christina Bellantoni | November 4, 2009, 4:05PM

Sen. Jim DeMint (R-SC)

Sen. Jim DeMint says Republicans must be "rock solid" conservatives to win in 2010, and predicted a national "army" will rise up next year.

TPMDC listened in last night on a call run by DeMint's Senate Conservatives Fund as they ticked off the races they are watching and detailed the conservative direction they think Republicans need to head toward.

DeMint said he wanted to "harness the energy" he saw during the tea parties.

He said he wants to show that "anywhere in the country," a "principled Republican with conservative principles" can win.

"That is going to change politics in America," he said. "You're going to see an army of Americans fighting for freedom in this next election."

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