South Carolina conservative sets himself up as kingmaker

[Louisiana1976]

WASHINGTON — South Carolina Sen. Jim DeMint is using his rising national profile among conservative activists to support and bankroll Republican Senate candidates around the country, some of them underdogs challenging GOP establishment favorites.

DeMint's endorsements of former Florida House Speaker Marco Rubio over Gov. Charlie Crist and California state Rep. Chuck DeVore over former Hewlett-Packard chief executive Carly Fiorina put him at odds with other prominent Republicans, including Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, Sen. John McCain of Arizona and fellow South Carolina Sen. Lindsey Graham.

In Pennsylvania, DeMint's endorsement of former Rep. Pat Toomey helped prompt incumbent Sen. Arlen Specter to bolt the Republican Party and run for re-election as a Democrat.

DeMint, who has met with or plans to interview 20 GOP candidates in eight states, has started doling out money from his Senate Conservatives Fund, a political action committee that's raised $1.45 million — most of it from supporters in other states.

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http://www.mcclatchydc.com/251/story/79692.html

[FarLeftFist]

1. Why do people keep throwing money at a failed political ideology

Conservatism is a myth. Everyone wants to say their fiscally conservative until they become elected and sit down to do a National budget and realize "oh shit, I did not know it cost's this much to run a country, nor did I realize how many of these so-called useless programs are actually essential to society". As for other conservative ideologies they're mostly based on religion and fear.