GOP Civil War: Growing Cracks

[T]he fact that for the second time in one week, moderate Republicans allied with Democrats in a Southern state to elect a moderate and friendly-to-opposition Republican speaker different from the uber-conservative choice of the Republican establishment.

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This happened in Texas, where San Antonio moderate Joe Straus ousted longtime conservative Tom Craddick.  In Tennessee, moderate Republican Kent Williams snuck in to the Speaker's position, garnering the votes of every Democrat -- conservative Republicans are outraged, claiming that Williams conspired against them.

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The fact the pattern is repeating itself rather than being a one-time-thing seems worth noticing, if anything.

Actually, it had happened in 2006 in the Alaska legislature as well -- you'll recall the chorus of anti-Palin Republicans who popped up around the time of her selection by John McCain.

As one observer notes: "Interesting that Palin may have indeed been the model for the future of the GOP - but not the way she thinks she is."