Sarah Palin, Herman Cain Help Nebraska Underdog Deb Fischer Win Primary

Posted on | May 16, 2012 | 33 Comments

The first sentence of this story about the GOP Senate primary by Josh Lederman in the Hill absurdly portrays state Sen. Deb Fischer’s victory over Nebraska State Attorney General Jon Bruning as “dealing a blow to both the Republican establishment and the Tea Party.”

This is stupid. If the Republican establishment loses to a candidate backed by both Sarah Palin and Herman Cain, of course the Tea Party wins. What else could explain it?

Fischer, a rural rancher who has never held statewide office, had long been written off in the race to replace retiring Sen. Ben Nelson (D-Neb.). But Fischer turned the table on her two GOP opponents in the final week of the campaign despite being out-fundraised many times over. . . .
For months, Bruning had a clear double-digit lead over Fischer and [State Treasurer Don] Stenberg. Few Republicans saw a realistic opportunity for Fischer to overtake Stenberg, and even fewer thought Fischer could pull off a first-place finish.
But in the waning days of the primary, polls showed major movement in Fischer’s direction, and Fischer said her grassroots efforts and positive campaign had finally paid off. Former Gov. Sarah Palin (R-Alaska) and former presidential candidate Herman Cain waded into the race to back Fischer, and a super-PAC controlled by Chicago Cubs owner Joe Ricketts pumped $200,000 into the race to support Fischer and attack Bruning.
Stenberg’s third-place finish was a bruising defeat for fiscal-conservative groups who backed him, including Club for Growth and Sen. Jim DeMint’s (R-S.C.) Senate Conservatives Fund. The Club spent more than $700,000 to attack Bruning, and DeMint’s PAC dropped more than $1.1 million on ads promoting Stenberg.
Meanwhile, Tea Party Express, former Sen. Rick Santorum (R-Pa.) and former Gov. Mike Huckabee (R-Ark.) all backed Bruning, who was widely considered the establishment candidate.

Anyway, Fischer will now face former Democrat Sen. Bob Kerrey in the race to fill the Senate seat being vacated by the Democrat Nelson, considered an almost sure pickup for the GOP.

Exactly how so many people — including DeMint and the Tea Party Express — backed the wrong horses in this three-way primary, I don’t know. But for Lederman to interpret this miraculous win for Fischer as a defeat for the Tea Party is just flat wrong.

UPDATE: Instead of letting Josh Lederman tell us What It Means (in the first paragraph of the story, so you couldn’t miss it), let’s try this instead:

Congratulations to Deb Fischer
by Sarah Palin on Tuesday, May 15, 2012 at 9:35pm ·
As recently as a week ago, Deb Fischer was dismissed by the establishment. Why? Because she is not part of the good old boys’ permanent political class. The message from the people of Nebraska is simple and powerful: America is looking for real change in Washington, and commonsense conservatives like Deb Fischer represent that change. I applaud Moms like Deb Fischer who are bold enough to step up and run on a conservative platform to restore America and protect our children’s future. Congratulations to the people of Nebraska. As the Huskers’ fight song goes: “The eyes of the land, upon every hand, are looking at you. Fight on for victory!”
— Sarah Palin

And That’s the Way It Is.

Category: Election 2012, Nebraska, Republicans, Senate, Tea Party

Comments

33 Responses to “Sarah Palin, Herman Cain Help Nebraska Underdog Deb Fischer Win Primary”

Adjoran
May 16th, 2012 @ 7:27 am

The concerns I had heard about Bruning concerned his baggage – the word was no disqualifying scandal or anything that bad, but he would present a target-rich environment for unscrupulous attack ads – and given that Kerrey has spoken more than once about the “sacrifice” he and his family are making to leave New York City and move back to Nebraska (of all places!) for the few months until the election, that’s about all he’s got to run on.

Criminy, he was Governor and Senator from the state, yet he sounds like Lisa Douglas from Green Acres. Them hicks gonna love that.

My guess is DeMint and Moore figured Stenberg was the only one who had a chance since Fischer was an unknown.
Bob Belvedere
May 16th, 2012 @ 8:34 am

Why didn’t you run, Sarah! Why?!? WHY!
Bob Belvedere
May 16th, 2012 @ 8:35 am

Sounds like we scored a real victory.
PaulLemmen
May 16th, 2012 @ 8:43 am

Didn’t our Founders and Framers intend for our elected representatives to be average folks who, out of love of country, take a period of time out of their lives, put aside their professions and devote a term or two to public service, then return to their professions? Is that not what Mrs. Fischer is doing?
jackafter6
May 16th, 2012 @ 9:03 am

This is more proof that a.) mainstream media still doesn’t understand what Tea Party principles are, and b.) various so-called Tea Party out-growths are actually just the same old Republican establishment co-opting the Tea Party in a particular area, as the “tea party express” apparently did. As with Mitt Romney, sometimes Tea Party principles are ignored when choosing a candidate because the other candidates even though more closely aligned with Tea Party principles, do not have a real chance to win against the Democrat in the general election.
Mr c
May 16th, 2012 @ 9:41 am

A Nebraska guy

Fischer is very impressive in person, and Burning and Stenberg
have been running for some minor state office for years. Most People are just
tired of their same old crap. Don’t get too caught up in the tea party
stuff. Not a big deal in Nebraska. Kerry has no chance of getting elected. He
was a poor governor, and even worse senator. He hasn’t lived in Nebraska for
years. Not going to happen.
Garym
May 16th, 2012 @ 10:00 am

What could have been……
robertstacymccain
May 16th, 2012 @ 10:06 am

Why didn’t you run, Sarah! Why?!? WHY!

So that millions of Americans would spend the entirety of 2012 grinding their teeth in helpless futile frustration that she didn’t run?
robertstacymccain
May 16th, 2012 @ 10:12 am

My guess is DeMint and Moore figured Stenberg was the only one who had a chance since Fischer was an unknown.

Sometimes those who back candidates early — on the name-recognition/poll-numbers/looks-like-a-strong-candidate basis — simply make a mistake, which isn’t a problem unless they’re such vainglorious domineering thin-skinned bullies they don’t want to acknowledge that they are capable of error, cf., “Howdy. Thank you, Erick.”
Bob Belvedere
May 16th, 2012 @ 10:17 am

There’s no grinding of teeth. Just a plaintive lament, a mourn-filled moan, if your will.
Datechguy's Blog » Blog Archive » A nasty narative week for MSNBC/Morning Joe » Datechguy's Blog
May 16th, 2012 @ 10:17 am

[…] change direction? Update: Morning Joe didn’t find these topics newsworthy but others are trying to spin for them: This is stupid. If the Republican establishment loses to a candidate backed by both Sarah Palin […]
Evi L. Bloggerlady
May 16th, 2012 @ 10:42 am

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/right-turn/post/10-things-about-deb-fischers-win/2012/05/16/gIQACOTTTU_blog.html She can be wrong (a lot) but this is actually a good post.

I think all three GOP candidates could have been acceptable to tea party conservatives. But Fischer is probably the best of the bunch so thank you Sarah Palin.

And poor Bob Kerry needs to be returned to Manhattan.
Evi L. Bloggerlady
May 16th, 2012 @ 10:43 am

What could have been…
Garym
May 16th, 2012 @ 10:46 am

Its amazing to see Rubin actually Palin some props:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/right-turn/post/10-things-about-deb-fischers-win/2012/05/16/gIQACOTTTU_blog.html
Michelle Malkin » Palin-endorsed Deb Fischer wins Nebraska Senate primary; will face Bob Kerrey in November
May 16th, 2012 @ 11:02 am

[…] Sarah Palin, who had endorsed Fischer, offered congrats. In spite of that, the race is on to paint Fischer’s primary win as anything but another win for the Tea Party. So far I’ve read articles in both the WaPo and The Hill doing just that (the latter actually claims Fischer’s win “dealt a blow” to the Tea Party). RS McCain responds to that. […]
Palin-endorsed Deb Fischer wins Nebraska Senate primary; will face Bob Kerrey in November | Conservatives for America
May 16th, 2012 @ 11:15 am

[…] Sarah Palin, who had endorsed Fischer, offered congrats. In spite of that, the race is on to paint Fischer’s primary win as anything but another win for the Tea Party. So far I’ve read articles in both the WaPo and The Hill doing just that (the latter actually claims Fischer’s win “dealt a blow” to the Tea Party). RS McCain responds to that. […]
ThePaganTemple
May 16th, 2012 @ 11:52 am

It’s nice to know Kerry thought so much of the people of Nebraska that he was willing to “sacrifice” the good, comfortable life he had in New York to go back down to that god-forsaken flyover state and lower himself to representing what’s really in their long-term best interest (even if they don’t always know that or understand it) with the Washington elites.
AllPatriotsMedia » The TK Quick Six – Wednesday, May 16th 2012
May 16th, 2012 @ 12:24 pm

[…] – Deb Fischer Has Huge Primary Win In Nebraska, Courtesy Of Tea Party Stalwarts – via […]
Adobe_Walls
May 16th, 2012 @ 12:31 pm

Sounds like it. Being an outsider isn’t the same as being someone just waiting for their turn.
Adjoran
May 16th, 2012 @ 3:01 pm

What do you have against Manhattan?
Adjoran
May 16th, 2012 @ 3:06 pm

Because she knew that Piper and Willow would be subject to a level of pressure and ridicule that no child of their age should go through. She’s a young woman and there will be plenty of time for her to pursue political offices; those girls will only be young once.

If she had known it advance how despicably her family would be attacked, I think she would have told Cousin John, “Thanks – but no, thanks.”
Adjoran
May 16th, 2012 @ 3:10 pm

And who believes Kerrey and his family would stay in Nebraska after the election? They probably have a moving van lined up for the next day, win or lose.

It was one thing when he was a young, eccentric war hero bachelor who dated Deborah Winger. Once he went to Washington, he changed forever (as do so many).
richard mcenroe
May 16th, 2012 @ 3:28 pm

Ask Erick and Ace and the Daily Caller why she didn’t run. I’m convinced they’re the major part of the reason. She decided New Media wasn’t principled and professional enough to rely on,

As for a defeat for the Tea Party, no. This was a defeat for the hustlers trying to shanghai the Tea Party Movement as a money-raising scheme. But the real Tea Party made up its own mind.
richard mcenroe
May 16th, 2012 @ 3:29 pm

So Kerrey is the candidate. The party that says it hates war criminals wants to send another war criminal back to Washington to keep babykiller John Kerry company
richard mcenroe
May 16th, 2012 @ 3:32 pm

It’s old and used up and all my favorite bookstores and bars are gone.
ThePaganTemple
May 16th, 2012 @ 5:08 pm

I think you’re right, at least that’s the main reason. I was dismayed but still supportive of her decision. We need to move beyond this scary cult of personality we inflict on our better candidates, we’re bigger than any one person.
ThePaganTemple
May 16th, 2012 @ 5:10 pm

I think he’s played the “Hey sure I’m a Democrat but I’m also a war hero” card for a hell of a lot more than it was really ever worth.
Adjoran
May 16th, 2012 @ 7:11 pm

Fair enough – but Kerrey’s return to the Village People is unlikely to make things any better.
Adjoran
May 16th, 2012 @ 7:14 pm

It’s not really “we,” is it? It’s the damned Democrats who have absolutely nothing to offer they haven’t been offering for over 40 years, that hasn’t already been tried and found wanting, and seeking to destroy their opponents in Alinsky-esque fashion.
<b>Sarah Palin</b>, Herman Cain Help Nebraska Underdog Deb Fischer <b>…</b> « Feeds « Palin Republicans
May 16th, 2012 @ 10:17 pm

[…] Posted on | May 16, 2012 | 29 Comments […]
ThePaganTemple
May 16th, 2012 @ 10:56 pm

Yeah, actually it is “we”, and I’m as guilty of it as anybody. It sure as hell wasn’t Democrats that made Palin the equivalent of a political rock star. They’ve got their stars, we’ve got ours. It can actually be a dangerous mindset to fall into, and quite frankly I wouldn’t be surprised in the least if that wasn’t another reason she decided not to run. When you put so much hope and faith into one person, sometimes it causes you to expect way too much from them.
Irrelevant Sarah Palin Endorses Third Place Candidate « Truth Before Dishonor
May 17th, 2012 @ 12:01 am

[…] Robert Stacy McCain weighs in with an epic smack-down of some stupid dumb-arse. The first sentence of this story about the GOP […]
Bob Belvedere
May 17th, 2012 @ 8:04 am

Spot-on.