DeMint: A tea party crowd favorite

[ccharles000]

If you’re an underdog conservative running for Congress, Sen. Jim DeMint (R-S.C.) should be on your speed dial these days.

A favorite of the tea party crowd and a longtime scourge for Democrats and some Republicans alike inside the Senate chamber, DeMint has emerged as the leading benefactor for any Republican who wants to challenge the establishment candidates backed by the National Republican Senatorial Committee.

DeMint has already endorsed conservative Assemblyman Chuck DeVore over party favorite Carly Fiorina in the California Senate race and was the first member of Congress to back conservative Marco Rubio over Gov. Charlie Crist in the closely watched Florida Senate race. He has been openly considering an endorsement of a conservative political unknown in the Illinois Senate race against moderate Republican Rep. Mark Kirk.

And in a sign of his growing influence, several of the party’s more moderate candidates are looking for DeMint’s support to give them some conservative street cred, like Rob Simmons of Connecticut and Kelly Ayotte of New Hampshire, who have begun to reach out to the junior senator from South Carolina.

These moves are signs that candidates believe a blessing from DeMint not only may hold off right-wing challenges in the Republican primaries but also could open up new lines of funding from an increasingly passionate, grass-roots conservative movement.


http://dyn.politico.com/printstory.cfm?uuid=1F472987-18FE-70B2-A85633ECB1650B13

[NC_Nurse]

1. Yep, he's deminted allright...

[Are_grits_groceries]

2. DeMint really would like a revolution.

He is more than happy to lead the way. I read 'Saving Freedom' which is his screed about the US government. He is a total loon.

DeMint sees no role for government in society. He would revert to the Articles of Confederation, and then move back from there.