Despite all the stories of the GOP resurgence, the possible implementation of an RNC purity test has bigger implications for the Republican Party.
Members of the conservative group within the RNC tell The Washington Times that, besides aiming to make the GOP more consistently and reliably conservative by promoting lower taxes, keeping spending levels in check and focusing on national security, they want to head off an already emerging third party inspired by the anti-spending tea-party movement.
The third-party movement picked up steam during the recent special congressional election in upstate New York.
This is true. Doug Hoffman in NY-23 was a Conservative Party candidate. In Florida, a new political party called the Tea Party is registered. In Florida and elsewhere Republican establishment candidates are being pushed aside for candidates from the activist base. The tea party protests actually arose from Ron Paul’s followers, who raised significant amounts of money and were completely ignored by the GOP establishment. What a difference a year makes!
Apparently, the GOP has rejected attempts in the past to impose purity tests:
The strategist said a litmus test would send the wrong message to independents whom the party is looking to attract, and said primaries are the best tests of who represents Republicans in each state or district.
[…]
The last time a resolution to bar funding to Republican candidates was attempted was in 1991, when social conservative Tim Lambert, an RNC member from Texas, narrowly lost a floor vote on his proposal not to help pro-choice Republican candidates.
Some of the party’s most prominent figures, including former Chairman Haley Barbour, now Mississippi governor, were flown into the meeting to speak against the Lambert resolution, arguing that it was a litmus test and thus did not comport with the GOP’s “big tent”
It sounds like Republicans have quite a dilemma. It’s either purge to prevent a third party (which they may not be able to prevent anyway) or ignore the base. It will be interesting to watch what happens. Will Republicans be able to keep it together long enough to make it to the next election?