Pajamas Media » Congressional Pensioners Making GOP a Permanent Minority

The Republicans have only $6.7 million on hand. And beyond that, 26 of those members not returning to Congress next year had political action committees that raised money for other Republican candidates. When you lose around $17 million in potential contributions to challengers in tight races, you know you’re in trouble.

The premise is that it is the loss of “independents” that is causing the GOP so much grief, but the above figure proves that is just so much hooey. Independents are not generally major donors - that’s why they call themselves independent. It is the committed base of the party - on both sides - that donates time and money to build up war chests and organize to win elections.

If it were just independents, the GOP would be doing better at fundraising. But it isn’t. The GOP has left its base behind and is currently the party of pork, big government, and liberalism-in-disguise as exemplified by John McCain.

A party that sacrifices its base in search of fence sitters will end up sitting on something, true. It’s called a “petard,” and the GOP has rammed one right up its own butt.

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