The Club for Growth is on a roll. Earlier this month, it won big with Sharron Angle in Nevada. After last night, it is batting a thousand this cycle, winning all five primary races it has targeted. “Welcome to Generation Club,” says Chris Chocola, the group’s president. Asks Chris Cillizza of the Washington Post: “Has any outside group had a better election cycle than the Club?” John Fund, writing for WSJ.com’s Political Diary, has more:
The Club for Growth, the free-market oriented political group, had a banner primary night last night. It not only helped Tim Scott win a primary in South Carolina, but provided over $400,000 to help his fellow state legislative colleague Jeff Duncan. Mr. Duncan won a 51% runoff victory and becomes the GOP candidate for the vacant Congressional seat held by Gresham Barrett, who ran unsuccessfully for governor. The Club also had a good night in Utah, where it provided early support for lawyer Mike Lee in his race for the U.S. Senate. Mr. Lee, together with businessman Tim Bridgewater, knocked off incumbent U.S. Senator Bob Bennett at the GOP state convention earlier in this spring. Mr. Bridgewater then led in polls all the way to the end. But Mr. Lee, son of former Reagan Justice Department official Rex Lee, rallied the conservative base, including the citizens group Freedom Works, and squeaked to a narrow 51% victory.
The Salt Lake Tribune, however, is throwing a little cold water on the “self-congratulating press release” sent out by the CFG this morning:
The Club, famous for attacking incumbent Republicans it deems has not voted correctly on fiscal issues, repeatedly attack Bennett, though they stayed quiet in Utah’s recent primary. Now that it’s over, it appears the Club wants to join Lee on a victory lap.