Going Gentry Into That Good Night

Less than 24 hours after I noted Gentry Collins was the long-shot Tea Party choice for replacing Michael Steele as RNC chair, Collins has dropped out for the simple reason that Tea Party support at the RNC resulted in just three of 168 votes.

Former Republican National Committee political director Gentry Collins dropped his bid to become chairman of the RNC Sunday night, explaining in an interview that members of the committee preferred to have one of their own lead the party.

Collins won the support of only three members of the 168-member committee and it was clear that he faced long odds heading into the final weeks before the party holds its vote for chairman. 

Tea Party's getting a crash course in political reality here.  Maybe some GOP-controlled states are going to go the full Galt's Gulch, but at the national level it's the same old country club Repubs that are running the show.  If anything, 2010 proved just how much for granted the Republicans can take the Tea Party right:  unlike progressives, the GOP figures they'll show up and vote Republican no matter what crap sandwiches they are forced to eat.

Exactly what the cynical GOP is counting on.