Republican ‘establishment’ sinks cash into ads pushing back at Tea Party
BOISE, Idaho (Reuters) On a recent Saturday, foot soldiers in the Republican Partys civil war fanned out across a neighborhood of winding streets and manicured lawns to beat back the Tea Party.
They did not meet much resistance. Over the course of two hours, dozens of residents said they planned to vote in the May 20 primary election for Idaho Representative Mike Simpson, a veteran lawmaker with a reputation for pragmatism. None said they would back his Tea Party challenger Bryan Smith.
As he heads for a likely victory on Tuesday, Simpson has plenty of help. The U.S. Chamber of Commerce, former Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney and the National Rifle Association have joined with groups representing hospitals, dentists and home sellers to try to return him to Congress for an eighth term.
The push is part of a wider drive by so-called establishment Republicans to back mainstream candidates and prevent Tea Party figures like Smith from winning primaries ahead of the November 4 midterm elections.
http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2014/05/18/republican-establishment-sinks-cash-into-ads-pushing-back-at-tea-party/