The GOP primary for the U.S Senate race in the state of North Carolina is potentially a mess.
Far too many candidates are running-- including several with little or no chance of prevailing in the primary. They ought to get out of the race as soon as possible. With so many putative conservatives running, it risks throwing the nomination to the moderate Tillis. Is that what all these candidates want? (I acknowledge that it is entirely possible one or two of them might be running precisely to help achieve that end.)
Something else ought to be happening in this primary race-- but is not.
Constitutional conservatives and social conservatives ought to be running into each other's arms to back a single candidate. They ought to be working in tandem to assure that a moderate is not nominated. But instead, we have seen them backing different candidates.
In addition, some of the national organizations like National Right to Life and the NRA have thrown their support to Tillis. They probably don't understand that they might be undermining the most reliably conservative candidates. Maybe these groups have been influenced by national GOP operatives. Maybe they don't understand the race at the local level as they should.
Constitutional conservatives and social conservatives, during the next couple of weeks, need to figure out a way to unite and back a single candidate. A few good candidates are running; and each camp might have its own preferences. But it would be a lot easier to beat Tillis if these two conservative factions were to figure out which candidate, among the entire field, is going to be acceptable to both camps.
My own opinion is that this candidate is Dr. Greg Brannon.
Addendum 04/17: Those who believe Thom Tillis is a strong social conservative ought to consider the following. First, there has been a sentiment among the NC House leadership in favor of casino gambling in certain limited parts of the state. Second, they have failed to counter effectively the electronic gambling establishments that have proliferated in local communities on their watch throughout North Carolina. And third, we did not see any legislation passed during Tillis' period of leadership that would effectively reverse the awful, increasing trend toward single parent families within our state. We don't need another Richard Burr who will "grow" on the social issues once he arrives in the US Senate.
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