June 15, 2014 -

Conservative talker Laura Ingraham was quoted in The New York Times, June 11, as saying, of David Brat, after his primary win over House Majority Leader Eric Cantor in Virginia's 7th congressional district: "'He really just didn't have very much money, but what he did have was a lot of heart'". Not much money? The Randolph-Macon College professor was outspent by Cantor by a factor of more than 20 -- raising $231,000 to Cantor's $5.7 million, according to The Wall Street Journal. Brat's statement in victory suggested that he has the heart -- the courage -- to be a principled politician, quite the rarity in today's America. LPR finds sour grapes all over Rep. Peter King's response to the Brat victory, quoted in The New York Times, June 11:"' [Brat's win] will move the party to the right, which will marginalize us further as a national party'". That is to be expected from a member of the Near Left (better known in the leftist media as Republican "moderates" or " the GOP establishment").

Twenty years ago, after Republicans won majorities in the House as well as the Senate, John Greeter of Monteagle, Tennessee was quoted in The New York Times, November 15, 1994: "'The Republicans are the party of the people now.'" It didn't turn out that way. Newt Gingrich, as House speaker, ignored the immediate demonizing from the left, and gave the left ammunition to accuse him of ethics violations. Eventually, Republicans lost their congressional majorities -- until the Tea Party came on the scene and helped Republicans win control of the House after the 2010 elections. John Boehner replaced Nancy Pelosi as speaker of the House and proved incapable of making common cause with the American people against the far left. Indeed, Boehner took the Republican establishment away from the people and into the near left.

LPR is encouraged by the Brat win over Cantor as indication that the conservative core will establish the GOP as the party of the people, with the near left Republicans drifting into the Democratic party which, clearly, has become the party of the far left. In this connection, consider National Security Adviser Susan Rice's description of Sergeant Bowe Bergdahl as a soldier who has "served with honor and distinction." The administration had to know that then-Private Bergdahl e-mailed sharp criticism of the United States before he walked away from his outpost in Afghanistan, June 30, 2009 and into Taliban hands. The "Blame America" criticism from Sgt. Bergdahl is typical of leftist anti-war remarks and it is to be expected that a leftist would have no problem with such sentiments, and indeed praise them.

(The administration's immediate tone concerning Sgt. Bergdahl seems of a piece with its handling of the Lt. Ehren K. Watada litigation, brought by the military prosecuting Lt. Watada's refusal to go to Iraq. The administration dropped an appeal of a federal court decision not long after the Obama inauguration. The action originated during the Bush presidency and had been shifted to federal court after a court-martial mistrial.)

LPR has many times cited the wisdom of Federalist No. 57 which counsels our leaders to stay close to the people if we are not to descend into tyranny. From what LPR knows of Professor Brat, he will remain close to the people. May he be an example to Republicans. And may the Tea Party organizations learn that heart and principles are worth at least 20 times their value in dollars. (LPR wonders if the Republican establishment is now grumbling: How can we support a Brat for Congress?)