Six years ago, former MLB pitcher Jim Bunning eked out a victory in a bizarre campaign where Bunning compared his opponent to one of Saddam Hussein’s sons, debated him via satellite using a teleprompter (Dems were all OVER that; heh heh), and accused supporters of his opponent of attacking his wife. With heavy pressure from the Republican Party Bunning decided to retire this time around.
With primaries approaching in May the race seems to be heating up. On the Democrat side, Bunning’s 2004 opponent, Lt. Governor Daniel Mongiardo, is returning. His closest opponent appears to be Attorney General Jack Conway.
The Republican primary is where it gets interesting. The leading candidates right now are Secretary of State Trey Grayson and ophthalmologist Rand Paul, son of Texas congressman Ron Paul. Paul seems to have the support of Tea Party organizations:
THIS is the tenor of the Paul campaign. Vowing not to be afraid to lose…Paul is running a call-it-as-he-sees-it offensive on Republicans who’ve strayed from fiscal conservatism. He is anti-waste…anti-tax…anti-bailout…anti-TARP…anti-Stimulus. He gets that from his dad. Paul is the son of the nation’s most famous Libertarian…Congressman and former Presidential candidate Ron Paul.
The younger Paul has tapped into a chord of discontent…call it an anti-establishment vibe in voters…especially among Tea Party members. Not surprisingly…Tea Partiers are pretty fond of Paul.
This past Monday Sarah Palin weighed in on the race:
“While there are issues we disagree on, he and I are both in agreement that it’s time to shake up the status quo in Washington and stand up for common sense ideas,” Ms. Palin added.
For his part, Dr. Paul on Monday touted the leadership of Ms. Palin, who is scheduled to give the keynote address at the National Tea Party Convention this week. “I will strive to capitalize on the support of Governor Palin and so many others to go to Washington and fight for liberty and limited government,” said Dr. Paul, himself a favorite among Tea Party activists.
Here’s the strange part. Rand’s father has three opponents in the primary, all of whom have ties to Tea Party organizations:
Paul, the Gulf Coast congressman whose 2008 presidential run excited libertarians nationwide, even though he didn’t get much traction overall, is considered by many to be the “father of the Tea Parties.” But he has three opponents in the March Republican primary – more than he has faced in his past six primary campaigns combined.
All three have ties to the anti-tax Tea Party movement. And while Paul remains the odds-on favorite to win re-election in his district, the crowded primary highlights the potential conflict between Tea Party activists and a GOP hoping to ride their wave to electoral success this fall.
While Dr. Paul’s supporters certainly showed us what a “moneybomb” was and demonstrated how to commandeer online polls, I don’t agree with those that consider him to be the “father of the Tea Parties.” His 2-4% of the vote in primary after primary in 2008 cannot explain the crowds we’ve seen at Tea Party events. In a strange way, Obama has been more a “father of the Tea Parties” than Paul the elder.
Could Paul the younger upset the party establishment, thereby giving some clout to the Tea Parties? He’s leading Grayson in the polls now, as well as both Democrat challengers. Grayson also leads the Dems so either way the seat will probably remain in the “R” column. Will Palin’s endorsement have any effect?
Could Paul the elder get caught up in the anti-incumbent mood of the nation and lose to a Tea Party candidate? Probably not. Regardless, it will be fun watching this primary season unfold.
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Chinese wisdom says May you live in interesting times. Boy howdy, do we.
Ron Paul!
Just a note on Ms. Palin. I enjoyed her speech at the Tea Party convention, but I think I could grow to despise that shrill voice in almost as short order as I have of the non-ghetto sounding, clean, charismatic, pied piper other prominate politician who can’t get enough of himself – and that of his angry, hate filled biatch babys’ Mama as well. She creates a lot of good will, makes a good talk, travels well, draws crowds – and then blows her whole political agenda wide open by supporting John McCain. How much faster can you lose your credibility than talk the talk and then give McCain the time of day. Big, possibly politically fatal mistake.
As to Rand Paul and what’s happening in Kentucky politics, I don’t have a clue – but give me about 30 minutes on the internet and I’m sure I can become an expert.
Chinese wisdom says woman who cook carrots and peas in the same pot very unsanitary.
Ron Paul – the father of the Tea Parties ?
Where do these reporters get this ridiculous nonsense ? I mean, how in hellfire do you even make that assumption ?
I had to go leave a comment on Benning’s DMN site.
Am thinkin’ it plays to the Lib mentality that the Tea Parties have to be birthed (pun intended) by the weird Dr. Paul so they can hitch him to a movement they fear to the depths of their bones (screaming hysterically) but refuse to/can’t comprehend. That dog won’t hunt.
There’s no official relationship between Paul and today’s Tea Party movement, but there is considerable overlap in participation (Debra Medina.)
If you recall, in the fall of 2007 RP raised 4 million with the first money bomb and another 6 with the second, which was held on the anniversary of the Boston Tea Party. Those events may have had an influence in the naming of this grass roots movement. But you are correct, they are two different things. Perhaps the biggest difference between the tea parties and the Ron Paul revolution is their lack of a blimp.
Unlike a lot of republican office holders, Paul is quite popular at tea parties in or near his district.
Regarding the primary challengers, with over a million in the bank compared to a few thousand gathered by the other candidates, it doesn’t look like they’ll pose a serious threat. But I do wonder which one (if not all three) will receive support from the entrenched republican party establishment puppet masters.
Paul is taking the high road on his primary competition (unlike a couple of gubernatorial candidates whose initials are KBH and HAIR) and has agreed to meet his opponents in a debate on Feb. 20. Also debating will be all three candidates for HCRP chair. I suspect that Big Jolly might cover the event.
Ron Paul – just another example of teh toopardydoowopoly in action
I can see the ad now….
“Ron Paul, entrenched Washington insider”
LOL.
Actually, I’ve already seen similar text on one of his opponent’s web sites.
Hard to argue since he’s running for his seventh consecutive term and 12th overall. That’s pretty insiderish.
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