Here's to hoping Karl Rove continues to "help" the GOP

By Richard K. Barry

Funny that Karl Rove has set up an entire operation to discourage wacky right-wingers from successfully competing for Republican Senate nominations, and it's apparently having the opposite effect.  

Rep. Tom Latham (IA-03) has announced that he will not seek the GOP nomination for the open seat being vacated by Tom Harkin in Iowa. In a statement reported by Daily Kos, Latham said that he doesn't want to "detract form his duties in the 3rd," which they note certainly sounds like he will be seeking re-election there instead.

The point is that Latham is just the kind of guy people like Karl Rove would like to see run for a Senate nomination for the GOP. He's an establishment guy, and, apparently, not crazy. 

That leaves Rep. Steve King (IA-04) a pretty clear path to the GOP Senate nomination if he still wants it, and given King's hard-right, foot-in-mouth ways, also gives IA-01 Democratic Rep. Bruce Braley (already in the race, and expected to clear the Dem field) a similarly clear path to the Senate.

A Public Policy Polling survey released on February 5, 2013 found that a matchup between Latham and Braley was pretty much a toss-up with Braley ahead by 44-41, while a King-Braley race goes to Braley by a margin of 49-38. 

Kos notes the irony in that Rove's attempt to push aside "off-message," "anti-establishment" GOP primary contenders like Steve King may have had the effect of energizing King and his donors, making him that much harder to beat. 

It's relatively early days, and a more mainstream contender could still get in, but it's great to see Karl Rove continue to screw up.