The holiday season after the first year in a presidency is just about the time when politicos begin thinking about the mid-term legislative elections.
Conservatives are divided into two distinct camps in 2018. However, establishment Republicans are almost as much of an enemy to the Trumpian outsiders as actual Democrats.
Congress is experiencing a gridlock within a gridlock — with many Republican lawmakers refusing to move forward on any legislative items. As a result, there are many opportunities for these so called “outsiders” to take many seats from weak Democrats or even shore up a more conservative perspective in states carried by Donald Trump in 2016. Strong Trumpian Republicans that really made a name for themselves recently also have strong changes of re-election.
West Virginia Attorney General Patrick Morrisey is an example of new conservatives that now have a legitimate change in Washington as a candidate for the United States Senate. In the Republican primary, he will be running against establishment Republican Evan Jenkins, who was in the Democrat party only a few years ago. This should make it easy to create a strong contrast between the two platforms and take the victory. Should Morrisey take this primary, he will face Democrat incumbent Joe Manchin. As past Attorney General of the state, however, Morrisey has the connections, the knowledge and the support to prevail here as well.
Conservatives should also be looking to primary RINO Republicans that will do nothing but let down conservatives if they are re-elected. Arizona Senator Jeff Flake is an example of just this type of Republican Senator — an openly anti-Trump, pro-establishment candidate that supports amnesty. Flake has real competition in Congressman Paul Gosar. Should Gosar take Arizona, the amnesty argument will change immensely.
Missouri is another state that may offer an opportunity to bolster the active conservative presence in the Senate. State Attorney General Josh Hawley is planning to run against incumbent Claire McCaskill. However, conservative voters must have Hawley’s back. He is not an establishment candidate, even with his distinguished law enforcement record. For those who do not remember, is was Hawley who fought valiantly for religious liberties before the United States Supreme Court in the Hobby Lobby case.
Tennessee will have an open seat as current Senator Bob Corker retires. Marsha Blackburn is the true candidate to watch in this case. Blackburn has a far more consistent platform, and is willing to work with the administration much more than anti-Trump Republican Fovernor Bill Haslam. Although Haslam is a Republican in name, you would not be able to tell from his record of service. With Trump pushing forward on many issues that affect the South, it is essential to shore up pivotal states like Tennessee to enact fruitful policies.
Another example of a great opportunity for real conservatives lies in Montana. Conservatives who support Trump have a highly viable candidate in Commissioner Matt Rosendale, who has proven his ability to bring out the conservative vote. However, in his previous run for Congress, the establishment ran over his popular support with a machine that caused him to lose in 2014. Rosendale has the ability to beat Jon Tester, and even the establishment has to understand this fact in 2018.
The candidates mentioned above are all capable of bringing the Senate out of its staggering gridlock. However, it is up to rank and file voters to make sure the establishment does not maintain its hold on the Republican Party’s leadership.
If you have a viable candidate in your state that is actually viable and coming from the outside, do not automatically put them off to the side — this activism is exactly what conservatives need to finally push the agenda forward.
~ Liberty Planet
