This is a chance for the Republican party to complete the reinvention it began in 2010

A Few Good Political Opportunists

- Daniel Greenfield
Tuesday, May 10, 2011

First term elections usually bring out two types of candidates. The obligatory candidates and the unexpected candidates.

The obligatory candidates are men dry and stale as old toast, who have packed in enough favors to be party stalwarts. They aren’t really there to win, but to place. To remind everyone that the Republican party still exists and isn’t so bad really. Not the people you might want to choose this time around, but keep your eye on us next time when we really decide to give it the old college try.

Then there are the unexpected candidates. Men and women whom the party thinks are too dangerous or too unserious. Novelty acts who may or may not have held office, but aren’t part of the in-crowd. Their ideas are a little too scary and they lean too far to the populist side. Party insiders have names for them like “clownsâ€