In her keynote address Saturday night to the National Tea Party Convention, former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin encouraged competitive primaries in 2010 races, calling for conservative candidates to challenge the Republican establishment.
“This year there are gonna be some tough primaries, and I think that’s good. Competition in these primaries is good. Competition makes us work harder and be more efficient and produce more,” she said.
“And I hope you’ll get out there and work hard for the candidates who reflect your values, your priorities. Because despite what the pundits want you to think, contested primaries aren’t civil war. They’re democracy at work, and that’s beautiful,” she continued.
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Having primaries is one way to avoid a repeat of last year’s NY-23 special election. In that election, in which no primary was held, a conservative candidate gained enough support to force the official Republican choice out of the race. But the conservative, Doug Hoffman, lost to the Democrat. The Republican, Dede Scozzafava, got about 6% of the vote — more than the spread between Hoffman and the winner, Bill Owens.
Palin went on to say that she will campaign in primaries, even if that will “tick off some people.”
“Truly, this is how we’re gonna find the cream of the crop to rise to be able to face the challenger in the general,” she said. “Let’s not be afraid of contested primaries. I’m gonna assist in some of them, I’m gonna get out there and campaign.”
She also said she would give her speaking fee — rumored to be $100,000 — back to the movement.
