Senator Arlen Specter of Pennsylvania, who left the Republican Party a year ago in hopes of salvaging a 30-year career, was rejected on Tuesday by Democratic primary voters, with Representative Joe Sestak winning the party’s nomination on an anti-incumbent wave that is defining the midterm elections.
In Kentucky, Rand Paul, the most visible symbol of the Tea Party movement, easily won the Republican Senate primary and delivered a significant blow to the Republican establishment. His 24-point victory over Trey Grayson, who was supported by the most powerful Republican on Capitol Hill, Senator Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, underscored the anti-Washington sentiment echoing across the country.
The outcomes of both contests, along with a Democratic primary in Arkansas that pushed Senator Blanche Lincoln into a runoff election in June, illustrated anew the serious threats both parties face from candidates who are able to portray themselves as outsiders and eager to shake up the system.
America v Obama – 4-0 – MA + NJ + VA + PA!
typical NYT wishful thinking that’s it’s about incumbents – primarily it’s Democrats who are on a big losing streak, be they incumbent or not.
How are Democrats on a losing streak with the results of primaries only decided? You do know what a primary is, right? You may be right, but until the general election all you have is wishful thinking.
Why are there so many octogenarian senators?
Why aren’t there time limits?
#3 – see, NJ, VA, MA – the Dems all lost to Republicans.
#2: Yes, but the D’s kept Murths’a seat. Republican Bennett lost in Utah and McConnell’s favored candidate lost in Kentucky. the last two were not D vs R contests, were a defeat for the incumbents.
Jeff,
Speaking as one who voted for Dr. Paul in Kentucky, my vote wasn’t against incumbents, since the incumbent isn’t running for reelection. My vote was against middle-of-the-road, moderate, business-as-usual, Republicans and for reining in the shocking overreach of the Federal Government. My vote goes to the candidate, whether Republican, Democrat, or Independent who is a principled conservative. Ideology, not party, is the determining factor.
Bravo, evan (#7)!
Your rationale for the vote is yet another reason why I like you.
David Handy+
#7: Thanks for the correction. What I meant to say was that the vote for Paul seemed to be a blow to Sen. McConnell.
As one considerably more cynical about politics than the writers above, I will withhold my enthusiasm until I actually see evidence that the “outsiders” and the “principled” actually demonstrate something other than ideological grandstanding and show a dedication to dealing with the real-life problems of real people. So far, the political histories of the “principled” and the “outsiders” have been pretty dismal and there is no reason to believe that yesterday’s stars will prove themselves any different. I noticed, by the way, that yet another principled “family values” politician showed himself incapable of pulling his pants above his knees.
Someday American Christians will stop seeking the Messiah in politics.
Show me one democrat victory, if we can even spin one out of Tuesday’s results, that was based in any way on Obama’s platform of big government, open borders, anti-gun, pro-choice, American shame, labor-loving, business bashing, etc.
And come November, the results will be the same except for democrats that stand as far away from him, Nancy and Harry as they can get.
The primary victory by Rand Paul (son of Dr. Ron Paul, R-TX) is perhaps the most encouraging thing I have seen since 1994 Contract with American election (which proved a colossal disappointment when the Republicans failed to deliver). If Rand is anywhere near as principled as his father (who refuses to play the mutual back scratching game), there is actually hope that the Republican party might be able to be turned around from their version of self-serving elected officials. We just need another 220+ libertarian conservatives in the House and 50+ in the Senate and this nation might yet survive longer than I (a 64 year old) am likely to. Perhaps the Republican party might yet be turned into a modern version of the Old Whigs. One may always hope.
Pax et bonum,
Keith Töpfer