DeMint on Future Conservative Candidate Endorsements

Senator Jim DeMint and Senator John Cornyn have a lot in common. They are both die-hard conservatives. Yet while Senator DeMint is leading a potential conservative Tea Party revolt as conservative candidates get ready to take on more moderate Republicans in 2010. Cornyn’s job is to get as many Republicans elected in 2010. As head of the National Republican Senatorial Committee (NRSC) Cornyn is put in the position of making sure moderates like Charlie Crist and Carly Fiorina get elected because they have the best chance of beating the Democratic candidate. I asked Senator DeMint about this dynamic. Watch below with a transcription that follows:

 

Senator Jim DeMint: "Senator Cornyn is a great conservative, he’s a good leader in our conference and he’s going out looking for candidates that he thinks can win and that’s what our leadership wants him to do, that’s what our conference wants him to do. My job’s a little bit different. I want to find people who will change this institution, people who will join the country instead of the club because I don’t want more people coming up whether they are Republicans or Democrats and joining the Senate and looking at those institutions and being overwhelmed and impressed with them…”

Senator Jim DeMint: "We need some people with courage and vision right now and people who are willing to take risks and stand up against these forces that are pushing us I think toward socialist type of ideas so we found a few. You look at Pat Toomey in Pennsylvania, Marco Rubio, Chuck Devore. We’ve got a good list and they’ll be a few more who I hope will be a group of new Republicans who will challenge Americans to look at a new way of governance here.”

And who might DeMint endorse next? What about conservative Patrick Hughes in Illinois who’s going up the more established GOP candidate Mark Kirk? Kirk is considered more moderate though recently he’s been dialing back some of his positions to fit the more conservative mold. I ask DeMint about possible future endorsements. Watch below:

Senator Jim DeMint: "I’ve talked to Patrick. He is very intriguing. I can only help a certain number of candidates. I want to make sure we have viable candidates; folks who have at least some base out there that they can raise some money put together a campaign organization. Michael Williams in Texas, I’ve talked to him a number of times and I’m very interested in him since Kay Bailey Hutchison is going to resign the senate after the primary so they’ll be some chances to rebuild our party in the next Election.”

Update: Demint will endorse Michael Williams TODAY.  Read here.

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