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McConnell: Conservative split in Republican races 'no threat at all'

By Bridget Johnson - 11/15/09 10:09 AM ET

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ken.) brushed off the effect of conservative grass-roots activists in splitting the GOP moving forward, saying that the backlash seen in upstate New York posed "no threat at all."

"What you see here is enormous enthusiasm to run," McConnell said on "Fox News Sunday. "People believe that getting the Republican nomination means you have a good chance of winning."

Host Chris Wallace pressed McConnell about, in the post-Scozzafava world, conservatives talking challenges against National Republican Senatorial Committee anointees.

"Our view is this is an indication of the shifting political environment," McConnell said, adding that the NRSC generally doesn't endorse anyway.

"I mean, we're happy that there are a lot of people running, and the reason they're running is because they think the nomination's worth having because they think they can win in November," McConnell said.

The minority leader was also pressed about the political future of former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin.

"I'm not going to give Governor Palin any advice," he said. "...If she wants one, as big a following as she's got, you bet she's got a political future."


Source:
http://thehill.com/blogs/blog-briefing-room/news/67809-mcconnell-conservative-split-in-gop-no-threat-at-all
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Comments (9)

Mitch is right. Dems are the ones that should be afraid of 2010. McDonnell's victory in Virginia showed the GOP how it's done. focus on JOBS (while Obama and crew dithers on this) and leave the social issues on the back burner while the Dems tear each other up on abortion. I can't wait to help GET OUT THE VOTE IN 2010 and 2012.BY danceswithtrees on 11/15/2009 at 10:58
We "rogue" independents don't mean a damned thing to the Republican Party. Until of course we change the landscape they live in. Come 2010..we will get their attention !BY Don on 11/15/2009 at 10:59
If the Democrats can run and elect to the presidency the most liberal (and inexperienced) senator from their party, then the Republicans can run and elect a more conservative candidate than a GWB or John McCain. We just need an articulate, personable candidate to cut through the liberal mainstream media bias and spead the conservative mesage of low taxes, smaller govt, individual responsibility and the rule of law. This agenda will find a receptive audience — especially now with the public waking up to the disastrous policies of Obama administration.BY Ohio voter on 11/15/2009 at 13:15
This election cycle should and hopefully will be good for Republicans, especially as Obama and his administration have lied about job creation, health care and now is falsely claiming the border is secure — so they can deceive peddle "earned legalization" a/k/a mass AMNESTY for millions of illegal foreign workers when more than 15 million Americans are desperately looking for work!BY Joe from PA. on 11/15/2009 at 13:23
execute the top 500 ultra right wingers in america. execute the top 500 ultra left wingers in america. .. a little mass murder will unite the people and get stuff done. greed and the quest for power has killed america.BY Lloyd C on 11/15/2009 at 18:47
Seeing the forest and big picture !! To date, out of the earmarked $787bn in stimulus package , roughly $155bn dollars, not sufficient to reverse the trend of jobless rate, have been doled out. But, away from job saving and creation, GDP growth etc, the added value on the stock market alone might stay at roughly $1trillion, which could help us see the forest in light of conclusion of the historic health care and sustainable energy act. As always, focusing exclusively on up-front cost and subtracting its added value from equation, we will more likely be trapped in a small cage.BY hsr0601 on 11/16/2009 at 00:03
What I see here is a return to the conservative roots of the Republican Party, (not Libertarianism) . Suczza-bubba was closer to a liberal Democrat than a conservative Rebublican:and she paid the price for it.After she was repudiated by the party as a whole, she confirmed what most people suspected of her: she wasn't really a Republican.If there is a split, which I think there was, but there isn't now: it was between those who thought they could take the Party down a path that has consistently lost in election after election and those who understand the nation is a center-right nation. The old-media knows this, yet don't understand why Americans who are more concerned with taxes, nurturing their childen, and family-first perspectives can be admired over their nacissism and "sophistcation". In short, they can't stand that people disagree with them.Old-media and Democrats are in for a rude awakening. They will continue to experience lay offs because people no longer care about their diatribe: and their favored politicians will be unemployed as well. All in 51 short weeks!www.jaxobserver.com/morninginameric aBY RabidElephant on 11/16/2009 at 01:01
The same *itch McConnell that put women and kids on the streets by stalling the unemployment bill 4 weeks. we will not forget who put 7000 people a day into poverty. it's hard to vote when you don't have an address. now he wants to stall health care. must be thinking if there dead or living on the streets they can't vote us out.BY rob on 11/16/2009 at 05:08
Mitch's answers here are schizophrenic. YES the political environment is shifting (just look at the demographics of the last 2 election cycles). … But somehow going from moderate conservative to extreme conservative is NOT a problem for the GOP? … The guy is not playing with a full-deck. Again, just look at the demographics. It is insane to think that by becoming MORE EXTREME the party has a chance at being electable on the national level. It just defies common sense. Then again, when has that stopped the Neo-confederates?BY Ethan on 11/16/2009 at 14:02

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