The GOP's struggle with surging grass-roots conservatives grows

Pioneer Press

Nov. 2, 2009

Jim VandeHei and Alex Isenstadt

The conservative coup in upstate New York did much more than lay bare the power of conservative activists: It exposed how little control GOP officials hold over this surging and formidable political movement.

In the wake of conservatives' role in forcing liberal Republican Dede Scozzafava (pronounced: skoh-zuh-FAH-vuh) out of Tuesday's special election in New York's 23rd District, GOP officials are trying to make it seem as if they are helping to stoke the passion — and can harness it to upend [Alleged] President Barack Obama and Democrats.

They didn't — and they can't.

Many of the activists who helped knock out Scozzafava told POLITICO that the passion is building despite — and sometimes to spite — Republican leaders in Washington.

"I don't give a crap about party," said Jennifer Bernstone, a tea party organizer for Central New York 912, which helped to lead the anti-Scozzafava charge.

"Grass-roots activists don't care about party." Says Everett Wilkinson, a tea party organizer in Florida: "We are not going to allow our (movement) to be stolen by the GOP or by any political party."

This energy on the right seems to exist outside the control of the conventional political structure, and GOP politicians and operatives are as likely to be victims of this anger as beneficiaries. GOP leaders are about to learn the lesson again, several conservatives warned.

Grass-roots activists are ready to turn their fire on Republicans in a host of races across the country, said Adam Brandon, a spokesman for FreedomWorks, an organization that helped gin up the tea party protests and town hall flare-ups.

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