An Out Of The Box Thought For Tea Parties To Consider
Clinton Mayor Janice Kovach’s failure to submit sufficient petition signatures to get on the ballot in CD-7 Democratic primary brought to mind a question I’ve been kicking around for a while. What would be possible of Tea Parties competed in Democratic primaries?
Nationally, there is no question that the Tea Party movement has made a difference in restraining the growth of government since 2010 when the Republican Party took back the House of Representatives. On the plus side, the Tea Party Caucus has restrained the Obama/Pelosi/Reed agenda. On the down side, an argument could be made that if not for 2012 Tea Party victories in the senatorial primaries in Missouri and Indiana the GOP would be two seats closer to controlling the Senate. There would have been less “war on women” fodder for the liberal media and Democratic machine to use in defeating Mitt Romney in the presidential election.
Tea Parties boast that they stayed home in 2012 rather than voting for Romney, thereby assuring Obama’s reelection. There are some Tea Parties campaigning for conservatives to withhold their votes in 2016 if the GOP does not nominate a candidate that meets their approval.
Tea Parties have had some success in Republican primaries that have resulted in losses of “safe” Republican seats in general elections. Delaware in 2010, and Missouri and Indiana in 2012. If Tea Party conservatives really don’t vote in general elections rather than choosing between “the lesser of two evils,” the are assuring the the greater of two evils wins.
Why not take the battle to the Democrats? Why fight only with “RINOs” and then surrender the general elections to the Democrats?
What would be possible if Tea Parties took there fights to Democratic primaries rather that only Republican primaries?
In CD-7, Tea Party activist Dave Larsen is challenging Congressman Leonard Lance for the third consecutive primary. There’s no reason to think that Larsen will have any more success in the GOP primary this time around than he did in 2010 or 2012. Had Larsen file to run in the Democratic primary, he’d be the front runner for the Democratic nomination now. Kovach says she is going to appeal the decision to disqualify her petitions. She will probably lose the appeal and wage a write-in campaign. If she gets 200 write in votes, she’s the Democratic nominee. Unless someone else gets more than votes than she does.
The CD-7 Democratic primary is now an opportunity for the Tea Party to infiltrate the Democratic Party. Lon Hosford could probably get 200 write-in votes and more than Kovac. Hosford as also run against Lance in past GOP primaries. Why not try the Democratic primary, since it is wide open?
If the Tea Parties could move the Democrats toward the political center, as they have moved the Republican Party to the right, America would be better off. Kovach’s fumble creates an opportunity in New Jersey’s 7th Congressional District.
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BREAKING NEWS!!!!
Excellent thought.
Although I do not know how it would work in the future, past attempts for”TEA” people to run as Democrats have failed in almost every situation (some in Jersey). However, some progress has been made in the Republican party to elect true tax cutters with help from the TEA group.
The reason? A large percentage of Republican and Democratic voters are prejudiced and will only vote the party name. It has not been possible to swing enough voters away from the Republicans to the Democrats to win.
There is another reason why the “Republican Party” must be the party that the TEA party chooses to take over.
“Republicans” continue to give the illusion that they are a viable overall opposition to Democrats. This is dishonest, false, a fraud, etc.
Republicans already have the brand that is needed by the TEA party to build a movement. That is why EVERY elected Republican politician who does not TRULY oppose a runaway big government must be primaried. When they go, they will make room for candidates who are possibly a real opposition to bloated government. And during their campaigns, they expose the real problems that would be ignored without their campaigns.
Jeff Bell needs to be thanked. The retiring of Senator Case and Senator Castle was a good thing. Now there are active attempts to find candidates who can do the job correctly. If they were still in office, everyone would sit back and do nothing.
Chris Christie is the best that we can get for Jersey. If he runs for Congress or Senate, he should be supported. But he will be opposed tooth and nail if he tries to run for President. He is an established big government “Republican”.
The bottom line can be summed up with the following questions. Do you want a Republican version of a Democratic government? Or do you want to actively address the problems of a sunken ship?
Sorry. I did not succinctly address the main idea in your article.
You asked, why not try to win as a Democrat in those situations where it would be hopeless to win as a Republican?
Answer: The goal is not to win one election here and there. Due to the nature of voters, it would not contribute toward building a movement that would offer a lasting solution.
Money, time, and energy is better put to use working together to build an accurate image under the name of “Republican”.
I’m not so sure, Opposition.
The Democratic party establishment has moved so far to the left that there is a opportunity for conservatives to move in.
In NJ, conservatives have a better chance of impacting our state government if we primaried every Democrat for Assembly next year.
Been there, tried to do that Art. I was on the congressional Dem primary ballot (CD-6)until the party took me to court and knocked me off the ballot. Hat tip to Russ Cote and Billy Baer for helping me in that endeavor. I asked for help this cyle but I was unable to muster the necessary support. I am a Tea Party activist.
I have been promoting this idea for years myself across the nation within the national framework of the Tea Party Patriots but it doesn’t get traction.
I see no issue with this because the Tea Party is comprised of CITIZEN ACTIVISTS of all colors shapes and sizes.
Brilliant point Art and yes Mark, we know you tried that. As we know, Democrats are indeed part of the Tea Party. In the olden days, they where known as Blue Dog Democrats. And up until about JFK’s time, they were the majority of the Democrat Party, and reasonable to work with…
Fast forward to today, when it has taken over by the far left. And those on the far left have migrated down to County leadership level, hence the problem in getting Tea Party Dems on the ballot for county and legislative seats.
Again, I maintain; the solution is as simple as getting Tea Party Dem County Committee in office and getting those people out to door knock and educate voters, reminding them of the priorities. Once in office, you have two years to work on this effort. And, if challenged; vote for new municipal Chairs. You have to fight the battle in the trenches first to “win the hearts and minds”
THEN Democrat Tea Party candidates can pick up municipal seats, get known, get results; and learn how to raise money for the bigger races down the road.
About Educating Voters…
We have some Tea Party groups willing to attack some Republicans (most recently needlessly), yet refusing to expose the Democrat flaws about far left liberalism at the same time.
Those Tea Party factions are shooting off their own feet in growing the movement by only working to solve half the problem, ignoring the liberals that are causing the problem in the first place. They will never get there doing that.
This is NOT a one night stand. This is a long haul folks. You have to build from the bottom up. The job is massive, it can not be done overnight.
But, I want to continue on another point…
Opposition partially does not get it with this comment:
“Answer: The goal is not to win one election here and there. Due to the nature of voters, it would not contribute toward building a movement that would offer a lasting solution. ”
My response?
First, why wouldn’t it contribute by adding a few Blue Dog Democrats to the Conservative Republicans you already have? Sooner or later, you are moving the ball right and win some battles on the way towards the BIG win.
There is nothing wrong with coalition building as long as it is based on Constitutional positions.
You have to start somewhere Opposition and build a track record. New Jersey is too Blue a state to think that Republicans will take over. At least not in the immediate future. And that is where building the movement at the local level comes in to play.
TRUST ME, I know changing things at the local level is difficult at best. And I at times am prone to just throw up my hands and walking away. You get that way at 60. 🙂
However, again; some Tea Party factions believe they have to grab the brass ring and win a Senate or House seat first in N.J. to be successful.
Bolderdash.
Things go hand in hand. Keep reinforcing the message at the Federal level while building a movement at the lower level where Democrat voters eventually smack their foreheads and say, “Wow, I get it!”
One man’s opinion.
It’s been tried before as Mark Falzon pointed out. Years ago in Morris County a Holocaust Denier won the Dem Primary. As I recall Dems ended up with a write-in candidate who still got more votes than the official “Dem” nominee. As the district was heavily Republican it wouldn’t have mattered anyway. I also recall some years ago David Duke getting the Republican nomination to run for Governor of Louisiana. In that election GOP leaders actually endorsed his Democratic opponent, Edwin Edwards.
Even if Dave Larsen or some other Tea Party joker did manage to get the Democratic nomination, it wouldn’t matter either because Dems will either write-in a candidate, sit home, or even vote for “Liberal Lenny”. Whether Larsen campaigns as R or D Lance wins either way.
This sounds like some kind of sleazy scheme to destroy the Tea Party movement by creating confusion and distraction while dividing Conservatives between one political party and another.
Here’s a better “out of the box” idea. Go third party. Give voters a real choice in the general election. I don’t care if it’s a race for dog catcher or POTUS. Let the liberals divide their votes between “the lesser of two evils”. Conservatives will vote for Real Conservatives and Conservatives will win.
In the meantime I’m supporting Dave Larsen. Conservatives are fed up with Lance and his RINO shenanigans. I wish Dave Larsen would run on a third party Conservative ticket because I think has a better chance than he would taking on the RINO Establishment in a fixed primary.
Not in a million years
Put a sock in it and stop writing like a juvenile moron.
Obviously you can not read and comprehend the idea and concept. And I’m not going to spend any keystrokes drawing pictures for you.
Jim Granelli
Got to admit that talking the TP’s into chasing the D’s is definitely thinking outside of the box…..Kind of like arranging for your crazy uncle to have Thanksgiving dinner at your in laws rather than showing up at your place and making everyone miserable.
I agree with Bob English. This isn’t about making America safe for Conservatives. It’s about making New Jersey safe for RINOs. John Bennett, Joe Kyrillos, Jen Beck and the rest of the Country Club RINO Establishment would like nothing better than for the Bayshore Tea Party and other Tea Party Patriots to go away, join the Monmouth County Democrats, and make life miserable for Vin Gopal and his Socialist cronies. Well, we’re not going away, and even if we did go away it won’t be to join the Democrats.