Is The NRSC About To Do It, Again?

h/t Hot Air headlines.

Conservative Chuck DeVore has been planning a run against Barbara Boxer for quite some time. The LA Times reports fired CEO and former McCain campaign adviser Carly Fiorina may be interested in running for the seat.

Carly Fiorina, whose rocky tenure as chief executive of Hewlett Packard ended with her firing, is making serious preparations to run next year for the Republican nomination to challenge U.S. Sen. Barbara Boxer (D-Calif.).

Fiorina is wealthy and something of a Republican establishment heart throb, despite still being treated for a recent bout with breast cancer. What are the odds the NRSC under Cornyn is going to cut and run on the conservative Republican base, again?

Regardless of one's personal political choices, it's impossible to conclude anything other than that the NRSC under Cornyn has already alienated the Republican base by backing certain candidates over the wishes of said base. That would be Christ over Rubio in FL and Ridge over Toomey in PA, which didn't eventuate and the NRSC may be warming to Toomey.

How many times does Cornyn need to be booed publicly before realizing he's out of touch with the Republican base? More importantly, do he and the Republican establishment even care?

Comments

[thirteen28]

I'll give Cornyn the benefit of the doubt - I wouldn't put the odds any higher than 99.5% that he'll support Fiorina over DeVore.

[mark l.]

obama just fell below the numbers he won the election by...

51-48 approval/disapproval.
http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/politics/obama_administration/obama_approval_index_history

at this point, every person who disapproves from this point on out, probably voted for him. His policies have killed of his base in less than 7 months. Has to be a record.

free falling...

[tim maguire]

Quite a dysfunctional family, isn't it? Now is one of those moments that hit every few decades where a party can and must rebuild itself with a new set of leaders free of the recent past of corruption and message drift, identifying and selling a real party brand.

So far, though, I see little evidence that it is happening with the Republicans. The base is ready, but they need a new set of leaders. Maybe if the Tea Parties have an effect on the 2010 elections...

[Chris Bracco]

Cornyn is my senator, and his pleas for funding have generated several responses from me, none with a check attached. Still, given the race and demographics, I'd back Fiorina. Heck, I even like her (to the extent which I know her). But the point which the NRSC and Cornyn have never well understood is that it is the role of the voters, not the party "leadership" to pick the standard bearer, via primaries. The contenders can roll up as many endoresments as they can gather, but the party's role should be limited to supporting the nominee in the general election. I agree with Cornyn's suggestion that 60% support of the majority is better than 100% support of a losing minority, but what is lost is the general right-tilt of the American psyche. Put forward strong candidates with strong conservative ideals and we just might get out of that minority status. Quit playing not to lose. It don't work.

[Brad Schwartze]

"More importantly, do he and the Republican establishment even care?"

Just a thought, Dan: Maybe you might want to quantify the number of contributions to the NRSC you think your blog readers send before you throw such stones. Of course, you'll do that right around the same time you'll define the "base."

BTW, do you think that when Sarah Palin was speaking of "obsessive partisanship" vis-a-vis the GOP, that she may not have been actually referring to either elected officials OR big (and even some small) donors?

[Rick Caird]

I once wrote Charlie Christ for Charlie Crist, too. I was told that he wasn't that good.

Rick

[Angry White Dude]

The Republican establishment should not be involved in primary races! Constituents should be able to select their candidate without Cornyn and his band of merry RINOs throwing money at one of their buddies!

The Wussypants Republican establishment is the real enemy and must go!

Angry White Dude

[Tennwriter]

OK Brad, if we don't write checks for ten grand, we should sit down and shut up? How about another theory...the losers fire their coach and get someone else to run their team? And, why should a member of the base give money to an Establishment that despises them?

[Mike Passons]

When Cornyn voted for our current Treasury Secretary, I let him know I would be looking elsewhere when I next vote in any race he is in. I am an older, conservative, born and raised Texan, someone he should be listening to. He talks a good game, but he is the kind of representative we need to send back home. Too bad. He is Washington establishment. We need to competely turn over the Congress.