talk of GOP primaries follows 'fiscal cliff' vote

[xchrom]

http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_FISCAL_CLIFF_POLITICS?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT&CTIME=2013-01-05-08-13-28

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) -- Republicans in Congress who took the politically risky step of voting this week to raise taxes now find themselves trying to fend off potential primary challenges next year from angry conservatives.

These lawmakers wasted little time in attempting to deliver an explanation that would be acceptable to the tea party and the GOP's right flank, and, perhaps, insulate themselves from a re-election battle against a fellow Republican. They've started defending the vote as one that preserves tax cuts for most Americans, while promising to fight for spending cuts in upcoming legislative debates over raising the nation's borrowing limit.

"In the end, he ensured that over 99 percent of Kentuckians will not pay higher income taxes," Mitch McConnell's campaign wrote in an email message to Kentucky voters the day after the Senate Republican leader supported the measure.

It was the first time in two decades that a significant number of Republicans voted for a tax increase; 33 Senate Republicans did so and 85 House members who broke with their GOP majority to support the bill that avoided the nation going over the so-called fiscal cliff but that also raises taxes on upper incomes.

[upaloopa]

1. Let them run tea party extremists that's a good way for us to gain a seat.