Forum Post: G.O.P. Senators Fail to Head Off Primary Challenges by Tea Party Rivals

The Republican incumbents and party officials say they have learned from the hard lessons of the past when Tea Party candidates from the right were ignored or dismissed, only to prevail in primaries and lose in general elections. They have plans to avoid becoming the next Richard G. Lugar or Robert Bennett, two senior senators who were stunned by losses before the general election.

As such, the races are emerging as the real test of the latest Republican strategy to deal with insurgent candidates and of the power of the Tea Party in 2014. The result could dictate not only the future influence of the Tea Party in Congress, but also the ability of Republicans to hold on to or gain seats.

“People talk about how unorganized the Tea Party is,” said Al Cross, director of the Institute for Rural Journalism and Community Issues at the University of Kentucky. “Well, it’s organized enough to pull people together

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/08/31/us/politics/gop-senators-fail-to-head-off-tea-party-rivals.html?_r=0

Hey look! Smoke and mirrors.