The GOP Leadership Should Be Worried

Two days ago the Politico had a very good column up on what might happen if the GOP does poorly overall in November, specifically in House races: GOP loss could threaten leadership. I should hope so! I'm one who believe that the Republicans, overall, haven't learned their lesson from the debacle of 2006 - that they can't, and shouldn't, govern as Democrat Lite. Furthermore, I'm in favor of a leadership change even if they do better than expected. But no matter, the column is still good:

The dark clouds hovering over House Republicans hold one silver lining for Minority Leader John A. Boehner, GOP Whip Roy Blunt and National Republican Congressional Committee Chairman Tom Cole: Expectations for November are now set so low that a loss of fewer than 10 seats could be seen as a sort of victory.

But if Republican losses break into the double digits, the three leaders could find it hard to hold on to their jobs, and rank and file members could throw their support behind a new generation of members — reformers who say their party should be making dramatic changes to prove to voters that it has learned the lessons that cost it the majority in 2006.

These newer members lack the votes now to overcome the wishes of more entrenched members of the Republican caucus. But a GOP bloodbath in November could change everything.

The Republicans have no conservative leadership in Washington. Interestingly, the four that the Politico mentions as being alternatives to the existing leadership includes some conservatives: Virginia Rep. Eric Cantor, Florida Rep. Adam Putnam, Wisconsin Rep. Paul Ryan, and California Rep. Kevin O. McCarthy.