Tea Party Fatigue Could Lead to an Interesting 2012 Election

A recent poll conducted by the Center for the Study of Elections and Democracy at Brigham Young University shows that independent voters in Utah see the Tea Party less favorably with support dropping to 24% (Utah Data Ponts). Support for the Tea Party has increased amongst “strong Republicans” to about 82% (Utah Data Ponts).

This could lead to a very interesting election in 2012. With the strong Republicans most likely to be elected as delegates to next years 2012 Republican State Convention. They will be the voters that Senator Orrin Hatch and Congressman Jason Chaffetz (presuming he challenges Hatch) attempt to court as they mount a run for the United States Senate. They will have to appeal to a base that is becoming less aligned with mainstream Utahns. Already Senator Hatch has made a dash for the extremes of the right and Congressman Chaffetz has already began to chide Hatch for being too soft on illegal Immigration (Salt Lake Tribune). Wait didn’t we see him do that already to former Congressman Cannon (NY Sun)?

With the two candidates out to prove who is more Conservative in an environment that seems to be getting tired of extremist this could make a successful run from a moderate Democrat like Congressman Jim Matheson who has already said that He is considering a run for the US Senate (Salt Lake Tribune).

Wouldn’t that be great to elect someone who is more interested in representing the state of Utah as whole and not just the Republican delegates?