THE PARTY OF "WIN" – AT 8:51 A.M. ET:  The Politico reports on a clear trend, thus far, in the GOP politics of 2010 – that Republicans are more interested in winning than in ideological disputes.  Good.  Become the party of "win."

The widely anticipated civil war within the Republican Party is off to a decidedly dull start.

Defying predictions from last year, early evidence suggests that party leaders and even most grass-roots activists are more interested in winning elections than in ideological bloodletting.

A spate of recent developments points to two conclusions about the modern Republican Party that were in doubt as recently as a few months ago.

The first is that for all the talk about tea party insurgents and fulminating radio and cable commentators taking over, the GOP remains above all an establishment party.

GOP leaders easily swatted down a proposed “purity test” for candidates at last week’s Republican National Committee meeting — an indication that party officials are no more willing to turn over the keys to right-wing activists now than they were during the Bush years.

In Illinois, Rep. Mark Kirk is hardly a conservative heartthrob — and some activists are openly contemptuous of what they perceive as his moderation — but he easily won the Republican Senate primary there Tuesday night, against a more conservative, underfunded opponent, in part because he is seen as having the best chance to capture President Barack Obama’s old Senate seat.

Recent elections also suggest a second trend: It may not be all that hard in a favorable political environment for skilled Republicans to bridge or blur the ideological divide between the conservative activists who dominate the party and the more moderate swing voters whom candidates need to win office.

COMMENT:  This is a good analysis, although I object to the term "right-wing activists."  When is the last time you saw a reference to "left-wing activists" when the mainstream media discusses the Democratic Party?

And we certainly insist on the right to debate within the party, and recognize that debates will occasionally become acrimonious.  But Republicans are learning that it's far better to get 75% of something, than 0% of nothing.  There are no prizes for second place in elections.  There is no "first runner-up." 

I'd love to see us win that Illinois seat, kept lukewarm by Barack Obama.  I want to see Obama deliver his next State of the Union address, look right down at that chamber and see Mark Kirk.  Calming pills are available.

February 4, 2010