Teabagger Fav. Rich Barber's Armies Fail to Gather as He Loses Primary.

[Clio the Leo]

MONTGOMERY, Ala. — A mainstream Republican rolled past a tea party activist Tuesday in the GOP runoff for a southeast Alabama congressional seat that Republicans hope to reclaim.

Montgomery City Councilwoman Martha Roby was drawing 60 percent in the unofficial count in the 2nd Congressional District GOP runoff Tuesday against Rick Barber, a former Marine who operates a Montgomery pool hall that hosts tea party meetings.

Roby will face conservative Democratic U.S. Rep. Bobby Bright in the fall. Bright's win in 2008 marked the first time the GOP had lost the seat since 1964.

<snip>

In the 2nd District, Roby, 34, promised to bring "common sense conservative values" to Congress. But Barber, 35, who has no political track record, described her as a "status quo" candidate, the daughter of a federal judge appointed by President Ronald Reagan.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/38236782/ns/politics/

Barber's "Gather Your Armies" ad
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j2Mz_EluJ-M

[totodeinhere]

1. This is bad news actually.

I always root for the teabagger to win the primary on the theory that they will be easier to knock off in the general election than a more mainstream Republican might be. Yes, I know it's satisfying to see teabaggers lose, but strategically, I'd rather they lose in the general.

[zipplewrath]

3. Strategically yes, but not predictively

Yes, I like to see the baggers win GOP primaries because they are so easy to beat. But as a bell weather for the fall, I think it is evidence that the baggers don't really have the political clout people want to assign them. They are the birther/bagger/bircher crowd that is always around, and they are no more influential now than they ever have been. The situation for the fall isn't nearly as bad as some media folks are suggesting. They just want a good horse race and they are trying to hype one. The real race this fall is between the conservadem/middling moderates and the progressives. If we get pulled even further to the right, we're in for a long road to recovery. We need strong stimulus and regulatory action to get us out of this mess. I don't care if McCain gets re-elected, I care if Sestak loses to Toomey. One is standing pat. The other is a shift to the right.

[Bleacher Creature]

2. It wouldn't have been the worst thing in the world to have this guy remain in the spotlight. NT