Will Republicans continue to eat their young?

Are Republicans drinking the Kool-Aid again? In the late 1970s they did their best to purge their party of the Ed Brookes, Jacob Javits, Clifford Cases, Chuck Percys. Strange how some of those hard-right heirs stood around to give Brooke the highest award the Senate bestows when an extreme conservative of their ilk named Ari Nelson challenged him in his own primary back in 1978. Stranger still that many of the moderates the party now wants to exorcise were preceded by good and decent members who actually got things done in government.

“Rockefeller Republican” became a swear word to the hard-line faithful. Well, here we go again. But now even Newt Gingrich is worried — he sees where this is headed.

New York-23 is a perfect example of the crazies gone wild. Hoffman lost fair and square in the nominating process. But folks like the Club for Growth would not stand for it and poured money into the race. Grass roots, my foot, or whatever. They did the same in a primary in Idaho in 2006, which led to the nomination of a true nutball, disliked by both parties, Bill Sali. They bought him a House seat with over a million bucks — a seat the Republicans, with a normal person, could have held in perpetuity. But Democrat Walt Minnick came right back and took it with the help of Republicans and moderates. Thank you, Club for Growth.

Now they want to beat Charlie Christ in Florida, Rob Simmons in Connecticut, Mark Kirk in Illinois, maybe even knock off Sen. Bob Bennett in Utah. Be my guest.

If they win this seat in NY-23, the Sarah Palins and Rush Limbaughs will be crowing from the rooftops. Watch out if you aren’t one of them — you will become the enemy faster than you can say Ed Brooke. Our way or the highway.

I hate to say it, but probably good for Democrats, as Newt says great for President Obama in 2012. But, folks, bad for the country.