Sam Tanenhaus Quotes

I don't fit into the traditional Republican box that the wingnuts who have hijacked my party think all Republicans should.

What matters now, the only thing that matters right now is that whatever you think of the conservative movement and whoever you think is or isn't one, no matter who you think they are, they cannot unify around the concept of beating a Democrat. That's what you have to learn. If that's the movement you want to be part of, then you have at it.

The function of liberal Republicans is to shoot the wounded after battle.

Truthfully, with the Republicans, I don't see that much wrong with them.

In the party of Lincoln and Reagan and much of the donor class, the defense of human life is what they think loses elections. They think we need to spend time on really popular ideas, like cutting your mom's Social Security check.

The Tea Party is almost solely grassroots-based; business interests have almost no grassroots organization. The Republican Party has for too long been run on behalf of business interests who favor candidates the grassroots hate; the minute that those candidates begin to flag, only loyal Tea Partiers stand behind them.

Let me put it this way: I think Republicans tend to keep the ball in play, Democrats go for broke.

In 2006 it was a horrible election year, and, you know, I lost. But I lost because I continued to be a constant conservative, and the last six years I was someone who was a national figure in the sense that I was the third ranking Republican in leadership and I had just run President Bush's campaign in Pennsylvania.

You win elections with coalitions. You don't win elections by ideologically cleansing your party.

Support the most conservative candidate who is electable

Republicans have the habit of giving their possible presidential candidates a saliva test for purity, and then bitching for 4 years because they lost the last election..

Republicans, Weed Out Your Progressives

The Republican establishment may in fact be so desirous of getting rid of the Tea Party as its base, they may be willing to lose some elections in order to get rid of their base and put up a new base.

I joined a Republican Party that was used to losing, used to being browbeaten by the Democrats. I represent a totally different style.

If you know the only way to lose your seat is to get out-conservatived in a primary, you'll never let anyone get to your right.

It has long been noted that two of the Conservative Party's great strengths have been the loyalty of its members and its pragmatic approach to policy challenges.

I still subscribe to the theory that Ronald Reagan once pronounced: that I will never speak ill will of my fellow Republican.

I don't write off any political party. I believe in strengthening the BJP and winning elections and not depend on writing off parties.

If the [Republican] party wants to have an ideological debate, it's never going to win anything in a major way.

It is somewhat perplexing that fellow Republicans would attack a popular conservative governor of a very conservative state whose overwhelming re-election proved a conservative philosophy can erase the gender gap and attract a record number of minority voters while remaining true to conservative principles.

Let the RINOs start a third party

The job of conservatives is to keep the Republican Party driving on the right-hand side of the road. There are many ways we do this. We argue, we publish, we lobby, we campaign for conservative candidates. Another thing we do is, when the GOP goes off the rails on really key issues - size of government, the National Question, Wilsonian adventures - we stay home on election day.

Every candidate is going to come to you and say they are the most conservative person that ever lived.

I heard Nixon speak. He was talking about free enterprise, getting the government off your back, lowering the taxes and strengthening the military. Listening to Nixon speak sounded more like a breath of fresh air. I said to my friend, I said, "What party is he?" My friend said, "He's a Republican." I said, "Then I am a Republican."

The conservative candidate who ignores moderates is as misguided as the moderate candidate who ignores conservatives.