South Carolina Sen. Jim DeMint has bet on the right horse in an impressive string of Senate primary contests this year -- including Mike Lee's win this week in Utah -- but the freshman Republican's biggest challenge will likely be how he and his band of conservative outsiders fit into the GOP establishment.
Mr. Lee's win Tuesday over businessman Tim Bridgewater in the Senate primary runoff marks the fourth time a DeMint-favored candidate has defeated a candidate clearly favored by party leaders.
Other Senate candidates who benefited from Mr. DeMint's early endorsement and campaign cash include Marco Rubio in Florida, Rand Paul in Kentucky and Pat Toomey in Pennsylvania. Mr. DeMint has also been quick to embrace new Nevada Senate nominee Sharron Angle after her upset win in the GOP primary earlier this month.
There's an outside chance all five will be joining Mr. DeMint when the new Senate convenes in January.
Such brashness may indeed rankle top party officials, including Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, who backed state Secretary Trey Grayson over Mr. Paul in the Kentucky primary. But the winning streak has led GOP leaders to embrace Mr. DeMint's allies for the general election campaign to come.
http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/...e-way-to-utah/
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