GOP Senate primary points may haunt party in fall

[DonViejo]

WAUKEE, Iowa (AP) — Concerned murmurs are rippling through Iowa’s Republican circles, worried that the ways U.S. Senate primary candidates are appealing to the base now could haunt the party come November, despite chipper talk that the five-way race is a healthy way to ignite the GOP.

Some Republicans say state Sen. Joni Ernst’s recent campaign ad featuring her firing a handgun will not sit well with some swing voters when Democrats resurrect it. Likewise, others say former Reliant Energy CEO Mark Jacobs’ past public statements supporting climate-change legislation make him indistinguishable from likely Democratic nominee Bruce Braley.

In what is their best chance to win the Senate seat in 30 years, Republicans have accepted the risks of focusing on GOP-favored issues in the June 3 primary after failing to convince the state’s better-known Republicans to run once Sen. Tom Harkin, a six-term Democrat, announced he wouldn’t seek re-election.

So, it’s become a delicate balance for candidates: Convince the party faithful they have the conservative chops to distinguish themselves from the Senate’s longtime liberal lion, then turn around and face one of the nation’s most politically balanced statewide electorates in a general election that could determine which party controls the powerful chamber.

more
http://www.salon.com/2014/05/25/gop_senate_primary_points_may_haunt_party_in_fall/

[liberal N proud]

1. Will the Democrats use the dirt the republicans have offered?

Or will they do the usually nice guy routine?

[blkmusclmachine]

2. DEMS will throw another life preserver to the GOP. Can't change the status quo too much, y'know!!

[Hippo_Tron]

3. Iowa is, unfortunately, the only state where this is happening

Gingrey and Broun lost in Georgia, Bevin lost in Kentucky, Brannon lost in North Carolina, Ken Buck dropped out for Corey Gardner in Colorado, and Rob Maness has zero chance in Louisiana. We'll see what happens in Alaska, but I'm not counting on Joe Miller getting the nomination.

Joni Ernst is the only good possibility we have of a Todd Akin-like implosion but it's in a race that was already leaning Democratic anyway.