POWIP Piece of Work In Progress

Is A Democrat Really Better Than A RINO?

There seems to be a spreading theory among conservatives that, for political reasons, a Democrat is better than a RINO.  Senator Jim DeMint of South Carolina has indicated he would prefer a Senate with 30 Marc Rubios over one with 60 Arlen Specters.  I’m sorry, but while that might make a good bumper sticker, it’s based on a false dichotomy.  First of all, Georgia is never going to elect an Arlen Specter type of Republican just as there are simply some states that won’t elect a Jim DeMint or a Marc Rubio in a general election.  Second, the vast majority of Senators are in the middle of those two extremes.  Third, it complete ignores Harry Reid. 

In a year like this, you could obviously get a true conservative in a swing state like Florida or New Hampshire; but does anyone actually expect a tea party approved candidate could win California or Delaware (the only state where Obama’s approval has increased in the past year)?  Is it possible?  Sure, but what’s the saying about monkeys and posterior orifices? 

Let’s assume for a moment that Christine O’Donnell is able to ride this year’s GOP wave into the Senate; does anyone expect her to be able to win reelection when the political winds aren’t blowing as hard to the right?  Let me ask the question this way; would you rather have a one term Senator who votes with your beliefs 95% of the time, or a 4 term Senator who votes with your beliefs 60% of the time?

How do we define a RINO?  Some would consider DeMint’s esteemed colleague from SC to be a RINO.  Senator Brown is a RINO by most definitions, but would we prefer to have Martha Coakley in that seat?  The Collins/Snowe twins are an example, and they have a tendency to frustrate the hell out of conservatives, but would we prefer to see those two seats go blue?  Where is the cutoff?

Does voting for the more conservative candidate in the primary mean the seat will go blue?  Absolutely not, and I’m not suggesting conservatives should endorse moderate Republicans out of political expediency.  I do, however, think it’s naïve and dangerous to prefer a true blue Democrat to a moderate Republican (RINO).  The last few elections have seen several RINOs swept from office; but a few more RINOs might have prevented HCR from passing.

Finally, it’s important to remember the value of control of a given chamber.  Setting the agenda at the congressional level is important, and if Mike Castle’s vote prevents Harry Reid from keeping the Senate Majority leadership, is he really worse than a Democrat?  One RINO seat is potentially worth more than just one Senate or House vote.  We're not going to get a majority without Susan Collins, Lindsey Graham, Chuck Grassley, and Jim DeMint.

I’m all for jumping in and fighting for your primary candidate; just don’t bail when your candidate loses.

Update:  Allahpundit makes a similar point here.

Adam Wells

Living life at 84 mph and 7000 feet. All I ask is that you don't block traffic, act like a professional, and don't act all surprised when your actions have consequences. Oh, and don't complain about the refs; trust me, they don't care if your team wins or not.