Concord, NH – In the same week that Democratic Congresswoman Maxine Waters said "the TEA Party can go straight to hell," an all out civil war is brewing in New Hampshire between "establishment" and TEA Party Republicans. Several factors have been cited in the mainstream media for the discord, but the most identifiable source was the undermining fashion in which outgoing Chairman John H. Sununu attempted to handpick his political successor, Juliana Bergeron, in the days and weeks leading up to the January, 2011 election. That, coupled with a terrible economy, low fundraising, and a handful of special-election losses in the state legislature (which historically go against the incumbent party), have had some people blaming TEA Party Leader and NH GOP Chairman Jack Kimball for the misfortune.
But Chairman Kimball has been operating with one hand tied behind his back. The State Executive Committee has a number of establishment sympathizers on it who have been unable and unwilling to move past the January election of 493 voting members, which validly installed Kimball. Prior to the meeting, Sununu and several of the soon-to-be e-board members publicly endorsed the establishment favorite, Juliana Bergeron. And the anti-TEA Party Sununu waxed on with veiled endorsements of his chosen successor during the meeting as well.
After 7 months of unsuccessful attempts by the establishment to coerce TEA Party Leader Kimball into resigning, during which time the establishment was told by high-ranking NH Republicans not to give money to the Republican Party, apparently the stakes are being raised. TEA party activists and sources close to the Kimball administration say that the federal delegation, apparently at the behest of John Sununu, has offered $100,000 dollars to the State GOP as blood-money if Kimball will resign. The sources say that Kimball flatly refused the bribe. If true, this would be the clearest signal that has been seen anywhere in the country that moderate Republicans are determined to start a war with the TEA Party.
A recent report by WMUR.com reveals that Kimball called a meeting of several friends and conservative activists within the NH GOP. The New Hampshire Union Leader also reported that the meeting was for Kimball to move forward with selecting a new Executive Director after Will Wrobleski, an establishment-oriented Republican was terminated for being caught plotting the overthrow of his State Committee Chairman. In an embarrassing episode, Wrobleski refused to resign, and said he would not leave the office, apparently hoping the dissatisfaction would lead to Kimball’s ouster and allow him to keep his job.
Kimball has categorically stated that he will not resign, and that he wants to move on for the betterment of the party. "It boggles the mind," he said. "We have these important issues that we have to deal with as a party. We need a Republican Governor in the corner office. We need to make sure Obama is a 1-term President. We need to enact Right to Work in New Hampshire."
And addressing the current situation, Kimball said, "To those who do not like the fact that I was elected Chairman of the New Hampshire Republican Party, and to those who have been actively working to undermine me behind the scenes, I say tough. 493 Members of the State GOP cast their ballot in January, and we have an obligation to finish the job. Either get on board with that, or get out of the way."