FRANKFORT — David Williams won.
But Wednesday the Tea Party celebrated even though its candidate, Phil Moffett, lost the Republican primary for governor.
Moffett had no money, no name recognition, no backing from establishment Republicans and he never got within 20 points of Williams in publicly released polls. Yet he denied Williams a majority of the vote in the three-way race, which included Jefferson County Clerk Bobbie Holsclaw, and won big in Fayette County and the “Golden Triangle.” In the end, Williams won a plurality by about 14,000 votes and 10 percentage points, but that was closer than it was supposed to be.
The Tea Party “reared its head yesterday, the hard-core grassroots people who want a new direction in Kentucky and in our country,” said Mica Sim’s who operates a blog (www. micadaily.blogspot.com) and heads the Tea Party chapter in Lexington. Despite her disappointment that Moffett isn’t the Republican Party’s nominee, Sims was giddy Wednesday.
“We are here to stay,” Sims said. Now, she said, both parties are taking notice and they’ll be reluctant to “marginalize” Tea Party supporters, something she charges Williams with doing.
It’s not just Sims who saw Moffett’s performance as proof of the Tea Party’s influence in Kentucky politics. The pros noticed, too.
“I think that’s the only conclusion you can draw,” said Ted Jackson, a Republican political consultant from Louisville.
“No question about it,” said Danny Briscoe, a former Democratic Party of Kentucky chairman and political consultant. “The Tea Party played a big role in Moffett’s performance.”
Republican John David Dyche, a contributing columnist for The Courier-Journal who authored a political biography of Mitch McConnell, wondered before Tuesday’s election if the Tea Party were more a national force than one which affects state politics. But he said Moffett’s performance Tuesday and wins by Tea Party supported candidates Bill Johnson for secretary of state and John Kemper for auditor demonstrate the group’s state influence.
Moffett’s campaign manager David Adams said before Tuesday’s election that Moffett’s more highly motivated volunteers from the Tea Party would overcome Williams’ advantages. He was wrong, but not by much.
“I think the Tea Party after-effect of this primary election will just continue to grow and it will become an even more unmanageable force,” Adams said.
But if the Tea Party is more a force in Kentucky than many thought, will its followers get behind Williams against incumbent Democratic governor Steve Beshear? Not necessarily, said Adams and Sims.
Moffett told Williams he will support him in the general election, but also said he couldn’t guarantee his supporters would follow. Sims flatly said she won’t support Williams who she views as a “RINO” — Republican in name only — who has supported polices that expand government.
Adams said it’s possible some Tea Party and Moffett supporters might get behind Williams — if Williams engages Tea Party groups in “a serious dialogue.”
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