Based on the coverage of Ted Cruz, Paul LePage, Matt Bevin, and Lamar Alexander’s primary this week, there’s been ample opportunity to argue that a tea-party takeover is occurring within the GOP. But there have been more-important developments suggesting the base’s bark is worse than its bite.
More conservative leaders are now backing away from talk of defunding Obamacare, joining the establishment skepticism of such strategy. Scott Walker didn’t take the bait. Even Rand Paul said his legislative efforts were designed to facilitate a compromise, not shut down the government. GOP leadership will likely hold a repeal vote to appease House conservatives, but fear of a government shutdown is subsiding.
Meanwhile, the anticipated conservative anger over comprehensive immigration reform never materialized at town halls. Immigration isn’t an issue spurring primary opposition to GOP incumbents. That doesn’t mean a bill will be passed, but a conservative blowback against immigration-reform supporters is unlikely.
Red-meat rhetoric guarantees media attention, but that outsized publicity can be deceiving. After all, Michele Bachmann and Herman Cain were flashes in the presidential pan. Mitt Romney won the nomination.
Via Josh Kraushaar.
