DeMint to Back Primary Candidates Seeking to Replace Incumbents who Voted for Boehner / McConnell Sandwich?

It is no secret that the Tea Party isn't the least bit happy with the debt ceiling deal that was agreed to by Speaker John Boehner. Now, the group's most powerful advocate - Jim DeMint - appears to be poised to do something he pledged he said he wouldn't do; the Senator from South Carolina is hinting that he will back Tea Party candidates seeking to unseat incumbents who voted for the debt ceiling deal passed by the House. If this is true, any Republican who ultimately got in line behind Senate Majority leader Mitch McConnell and House Speaker Boehner should take notice; DeMint became quite the Tea Party kingmaker in 2010.

Via the Hill:

Sen. Jim DeMint (R-S.C.) might back primary challengers to incumbent Republican senators after all.

DeMint had promised after last year’s election that he would not endorse any opponents to his fellow GOP lawmakers in the 2012 cycle. But now he is angry enough with the debt-ceiling compromise that Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) and House Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) struck with President Obama that he might back serious challengers to Republican senators who support the plan, according to a source close to the senator.

“He’s already opened the door to changing that policy in terms of supporting people in primaries — this deal could bring him to the point where he says he’s not going to make any guarantees,” said the source, who asked not to be identified because of the sensitive nature of intraparty relations. “It’s not a threat that he’s going to oppose anybody, but ... if he does, nobody should be surprised.”

Without DeMint, the Senate would likely consist of Charlie Crist and Mitch McConnell's choice for the seat ultimately won by Rand Paul:

DeMint, whose Senate Conservatives Fund helped finance several right-wing Republican candidates last election, angered Republican leaders when he backed a handful of conservative challengers to candidates backed by the establishment.

He supported Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) over McConnell’s favored candidate in Kentucky and helped give Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) an early boost in his primary against then-Florida Gov. Charlie Crist (I).

After the 2010 elections, DeMint promised his colleagues he would not endorse any primary candidates, but the debate over raising the debt ceiling has changed his mind. DeMint said in mid-June at the Republican Leadership Conference that “if we have folks who go the wrong way on [the debt-ceiling vote], it’s going to be pretty hard for me to sit still” and stay out of primaries.

One thing is for certain. The 2010 elections were monumental and Republicans that were either sent to Washington for the first time or reelected, were sent a very clear message that came with a short leash. The Tea Party is in no mood to look the other way when it comes to the recent debt ceiling vote.

h/t Hot Air