WASHINGTON ¨C In Washington, Republicans are rudderless after their candidate to lead the House of Representatives drops out. On the campaign trail, seasoned conservatives struggle in the presidential race while a reality TV star alienates the nation¡¯s fastest-growing slice of the electorate.
Since 2010, Republicans have harnessed the anti-establishment energy of the tea party movement to win control of Congress and recruit a deep field of candidates for the November 2016 presidential election.
Now that insurgent fervor threatens the party¡¯s ability to govern effectively and win over new voters, strategists warn. While many Americans share Republicans¡¯ skepticism of government, they also need to show they are capable of handling power responsibly ¡ª or else face punishment from voters next year.
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