GOP Leaders Draw Rare Challengers

New York Times: “Primary campaigns against party leaders are often more of a nuisance than a serious threat, token challenges waged by local gadflies. But what is startling to Republicans this year is the sheer number of candidates who are willing to take on the party’s most powerful players in Washington, and the backing they are receiving from third-party groups.”

“The primaries are another measure of the internal tensions within the party, and the erosion of allegiance to it, as it seeks to maintain the enthusiasm of Tea Party supporters even as it tries to project a message with broader appeal to swing voters Republicans will need in the fall.”