It was an interesting weekend with lots of news items, but one thing that's likely to get buried is this story in The New York Times about a new conservative PAC designed to counter the Tea Party's primary dominance called the Conservative Victory Project. In part financed by America Crossroads, the goal of the group is to avoid getting "Akin-ed."
Coming out of the 2012 election, when GOP primary voters selected candidates that should have won but didn't because of extreme positions, it was clear the GOP needed to tamp down on some of the "legitimate" crazy that wins primaries and loses general election. But I'm left wondering two things:
1) How does a group like the Conservative Victory Project counter the fervency and passion from the Tea Party and yet still maintain a grass roots operation during the general election? Will the group tamp down some of its extreme elements at the expense of energy as well?
2) Will a group like the Conservative Victory Project be a moderating influence on the GOP? In the story they say they intended to follow the "Buckley rule: Support the most conservative candidate who can win." One might speculate that could mean a tact back toward the middle, and they well may need it. Even folks like Gov. Bobby Jindal, who warns his party of being "the stupid party" has been accused of just changing the window dressing without changing the policy.
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