Fresh from defeat in RNC member bid, Emmer rallies Tea Party in Willmar

In MN Republican Party Saves Itself From Oblivion. Minnesota Conservatives keeper John Gilmore wrote about Saturday's GOP State Central Committee meeting which picked defeated 2006 Attorney General candidate Jeff Johnson over defeated 2010 gubernatoral candidate Tom Emmer:

. . .the refudiation of Tom Emmer is a seismic shock to the established political order within the party. It represents the beginning of the end for those self-serving types--there is no other word--who insist that far right principles are to be preferred over winning elections.

Gilmore concluded:

Republicans typically do not reward failure. This is a distinct Democratic trait. Today the republicans in Minnesota redeemed their mistake in endorsing Emmer last year by refusing to grant him the RNC position for which he was neither qualified nor entitled. Today Tom Emmer's political career died. MC wishes him well as he pursues other opportunities.

Bluestem started calling Tom Emmer the Walking Dead last year once it became clear that he couldn't be saved by a recount. 

The bad news for Gilmore? Saturday's vote wasn't a double tap. In Tea Party uses Willmar rally as platform in push for change, the West Central Tribune reports that Emmer spoke to one of the largest 2011 Tea Party rallies so far in Minnesota, (along with defeated congressional candidate Lee Byberg):

Emmer said politicians who abide by the Tea Party principals to get endorsed need to stay committed to the conservative side during the campaign and after they’re elected and not “run to the middle.”

He criticized career politicians from both parties who make votes based on what will get them re-elected rather than doing what’s right for the country.

Lee Byberg, a Willmar businessman who ran unsuccessfully against U.S. Rep. Collin Peterson and has already announced he’ll run again for the job, spoke about the “Goodness of America” and his concerns that the country is becoming a “welfare state.”

And freshman Representative Bruce Vogel complained to the 100 or so souls who thronged the rally that his other constituents didn't appreciate his willingness to strangle government in a bathtub:

Rep. Bruce Vogel of Willmar, who said he was elected with the support of Tea Party members to restore jobs, reform government and reduce government spending, said he wouldn’t mind getting a few friendly emails to counter the complaints from others.

Vogel said everyone that comes to his office in St. Paul says they understand the state needs to live within its means, but they don’t want cuts to be made in areas they support.

Thank heavens that Vogel still has 100 Tea Party folks to send him mash notes. Of course, there's always somebody there to complain:

Not everyone in the crowd was a Tea Party supporter. One man wore an Obama campaign hat and a shirt that said, “Stop 1 trillion in tax cuts for big oil and big corporations.”

Comments

[larry boss]

My Thoughts On Saturday #rpm11 #gopscc #mngop

http://www.residualforces.com/2011/04/19/my-thoughts-on-saturday-rpm11-gopscc-mngop/

[Editor's note: Mr. Boss left the entire long post from Residual Forces in Bluestem's comments. Please use the link above to go over to that site and read them.]

[larry boss]

Andy Aplikowski from Residual Forces wrote the comments. It appears that there is a great devide in GOP land.