Do GOPers want a broader party or a purer one?

April 30th, 2009 at 08:52am Pat Cunningham

 

 To purge or not to purge — that is the QUESTION.

 Having lost 15 seats in the U.S. Senate in the past 29 months, and finding that their party is not exactly held in high regard by the general populace (see HERE), Republicans are faced with a choice of trying to broaden their base or continuing to banish moderates from their ranks.

 UPDATE: David Frum is AGAINST the GOP purges, and offers this observation: “By penalizing pro-choice candidates, Republicans are not only making their party increasingly unelectable in the present, they are repelling the very people who might help restore electability in the future.”

 UPDATE II: Sen. John Cornyn, chairman of the Republican Senatorial Campaign Committee, says he hopes the GOP can “regain our status as a national party” — which suggests that he doesn’t see it as national party in its current condition:

 UPDATE III: Meanwhile, the GOP is launching a NEW EFFORT to “rebrand” the party. Sounds exciting.

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