On August 2nd, 5 GOP candidates seeking re-election to the Tennessee State legislature discovered just how dangerous it can be to disdain the wishes of those conservatives who helped put them in office.
In 2010, members of various Tea Party groups in Tennessee donated the necessary time and money to put Republicans in charge of both the legislature and the governor’s mansion for the first time in 150 years. But after 2 years, not one of the top 10 Tea Party priorities placed before the Republican–controlled legislature had been implemented. Those priorities were based upon “…re-asserting state sovereignty over unconstitutional Federal abuses,” writes Tea Party steering committee member Van Irion. Yet rather than assist the Tea Party groups that had both drafted legislation and lobbied members of both legislative houses, “…the Tennessee Republican Party treated the Tea Party with contempt.”
In 2012, Tea Party officials decided the only way to gain the respect and attention of Republican politicians was to “…PROVE to the [GOP] that the Tea Party had power at the ballot box.” And the best way to do that was to initiate a “RINO Hunt!”
Four-term incumbent and Chairwoman of the Republican Caucus Debbie Maggart was selected as the RINO upon whom the sights of these Tea Party hunters would be trained. A ranking member of GOP leadership, Maggart had a bunch of campaign cash to spend and enjoyed the endorsement of both the Party and its leaders.
BUT she had also “actively fought” against the wishes of state Tea Partiers, incurring the wrath of voters and the National Rifle Association for her stance against NRA backed legislation.
As a result, not only did Maggart lose to Tea Party endorsed candidate, retired Lt. Col Courtney Rogers, she lost BIG! Money poured into Rogers’ campaign from Tea Party groups and conservative PACs all over the state. The NRA paid for ads and billboards linking Maggart to Barack Obama. And when the smoke cleared on election night, the stunned incumbent had been defeated by 12 percentage points, truly an old-time drubbing.
Along with this principle target of conservative efforts, 4 other Republicans legislators with less than acceptable voting records were removed from office, and 2 more are involved in recounts. As Irion puts it, “every Republican in the Tennessee Legislature knows what just happened. They were aware that the Tea Party had targeted Maggart. They were aware that the other RINOs were being targeted. Now they’ve seen the result.”
Though Republicans may continue to ignore the legislative demands of Tea Parties and other conservative groups, they now know that a price will have to be paid on Election Day. For the focused energy of conservative voters can put at risk the political career of even the most powerful of Republican politicians.
In 2 years, South Carolina RINO Senator Lindsey Graham will be the principle political target of conservatives throughout the nation. Look for him to join Lugar, Bennett, and other “Republicans in Name Only” in the growing ranks of unemployed sellouts.
Photo credit: formatted_dad (Creative Commons)
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Great going Tennessee. Show them that you won't put up with their BS. As Elvis would have said TCB.
Good for them! All state tea parties should do the same! Boehner needs to go so the Ohio tea party should get down and make sure he's out next election!
It's working! Conservatives across the nation are making their voices heard. Message to incumbent politicians, the people are using the peoples version of term limits. Let's keep up the good work Patriots.
Congratulations to the Tennessee Tea Party and those who voted against the Rhinos. We have to stand up and take our country back and these folks had the courage to make it happen.
Thanks Volunteers. We need more around country.
I think that Texas just did that with the Ted Cruz, and David Dewhurst election. And next on the list will be our govener, I think, I beleive…….he has not done himself any good with his wishy washy goings about, and this illegal situation is not to his benifit, I beleive. He is lucky he has had the privilage to have held office for as long as he has. Time for him to exit, stage left, or right, whichever he chooses, but exit, I think he will do. If all or most of the states do this, we may stand a better than good chance at retaking America! And REMAKING her back into what the ORIGINAL IDEA FOR HER WAS! ONE NATION UNDER GOD, WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL………..I am going go out on a limb here and say that I beleive those words APPLY TO AMERICAN CITIZENS AND NOT EVERY TOMAS, MARIA, AND JESUS, (pronounced “hey suce”) FROM MEXICO! So I think Ricky is gonna have to go………….as he has behaved rather “Liberally/leftist/progressive” about this ILLEGAL INVASION!
Dis your right this so called Texan is more for illegal aliens then heis for real Texans.I'm glad he was at the Alamo other wise he would have surrendered to Sant Ana.
Way to go tea party, PLEASE come to Arizona we have a huge rino, Mc pain. to get rid of.
This is great news. Lindsey Grahman is a Rino and needs to go. Also he boyfriend John McCain, both have done many things to stop us and destroy our country. I read on Creeping Sharia, that Tenn. was getting hit hard by the state officals promoting Sharia Law, so look out fellow Patriots.
YEAH!
It's just a shame the same fate did not befall RINOs Bob Corker and Diane Black. Both of these so-called representatives of the people take every opportunity to vote with Obummer and against our God given Freedoms. I can only hope third party candidates can send them packing in November.
Good going Tennessee weed out those RINOs and I do Hope we dump that big RINO Graham in my state of SC.This is why I support the TEA party because of the good they do and make the republicans look at how bad they have become with people like Rove and Steele and others.
Well I'll be, there's still some "real" Americans alive and well and that's in Sergeant York country of Tennessee. Of course the establishment RINOS in Washington will fail to take heed and wake up as they've been too long kissing up to Dummycrats plus remaining just as arrogant. They've got their posterboy on the ticket for POTUS but let's hope he pays enough attention to be willing to buck the establishment because we the real Americans are going to take our country back having started with "Dick" Lugar. If Romney doesn't cut the mustard then he can be replaced by the people not the establishment who's now finding out in Tennessee who's the boss. Debbie Maggert found out and so did her RINO compadres.