The same conservative activist groups that continue to cause the GOP establishment so much heartburn are approaching the 113th Congress and the 2014 election cycle with what might appear to be a surprising level of sobriety and realism.
To varying degrees, these organizations acknowledge the limits of Republican power in Washington, recognizing that the GOP House majority cannot dictate to a Senate and White House controlled by Democrats, and they concede that their own process for recruiting candidates and influencing Senate races needs refinement and improvement. They also gently chide their congressional conservative allies who, while heeding calls to oppose particular legislation, haven’t always done so with a political strategy in mind for persuading voters.
With the debt ceiling fight immediately at hand, leaders of the Club for Growth, FreedomWorks and Heritage Action for America told CQ Roll Call that while the perfect outcomes they advocate might not be achievable on this or other issues during the next two years, Republicans can still accomplish much. What they want are GOP leaders willing to fight and Republicans across the spectrum who prioritize a concerted strategy for winning broad public support over playing Beltway politics with Democrats.
MORE: Conservative Groups Start New Congress With Dose of Reality : Roll Call Politics.