After back-to-back disappointing Senate elections in 2010 and 2012, Republicans (and others) are looking at 2014 and wondering not just how similar, but perhaps, how different, they could be. …
Republicans will still face the same obstacles they have had to contend with in the last two cycles: first, getting high-quality and electable candidates to run, and second, getting them through primaries.
Their challenge, in part, is that too many traditionally Republican voters—both of the moderate and the “mainstream” variety—seem to have pulled back from active roles in GOP politics and even participation in primaries, allowing the more conservative wing of the party to become dominant. This has encouraged extreme candidates to run and has produced rather exotic and problematic candidates who often go on to lose general elections. [cont.]
Charlie Cook