There has been a war against the establishment, and its brewing can be traced back to the time former President Donald Trump’s candidacy began in 2015. We can even go back further, to Ron Paul’s candidacy in 2012.
We can also note Bernie Sanders’ attempts at the DNC nomination in both 2016 and 2020.
We could term this concept as one of "antiestablishmentarianism."
It has served as the backbone of populist campaigns and strategies throughout politics.
It has affected the bedrock of Washington D.C. in some of the most challenging ways we've witnessed.
In Republican primaries especially, firebrand conservatives are in full opposition mode, going against the GOP's status quo.
Those who voted to impeach Trump, voted for spending packages that needlessly waste taxpayer funds, and went with the flow; that is went wherever the establishment GOP machine told them to go, have acted in a way which serves as the root cause, let's say explains why, incumbents are getting primaried by fantastic candidates regardless of their chances.
An example may be seen with respect to Arkansas U.S. Senate candidate Jake Bequette.
He is a former Super Bowl Champion, U.S. Army Ranger, and Arkansas Razorbacks legend, and is now challenging incumbent John Boozman to focus on fighting against harmful economic policies, for term limits, and promoting genuine fiscal conservatism.
Bequette has targeted establishment conservatives in most of his ads, casting himself as an "outsider," as one who is sick of politicians like Boozman who only prop up the America First Agenda when it benefits them.
Seemingly, the former star athlete has the right idea regarding policy, campaigning, and fighting for Arkansas-based values. Bequette’s most likely form of victory may come in the concept of getting Boozman one-on-one in a runoff election.
Here’s hoping he gets that chance.
Another instance in the great state of Arkansas is U.S. Army Retired Colonel Conrad Reynolds, who is going to attempt to primary incumbent Congressman French Hill, who was one of 35 Republicans that voted to create the virtue-signaling Jan. 6th committee.
Reynolds is running on various issues, including advocating for Congress to make a balanced budget amendment, sharing anti-interventionist sentiments regarding foreign policy, and being pro-gun when it comes to the left's proposals for gun control.
When it has seemed the GOP did not have the guts to stand up to the establishment, Reynolds has the right idea of ridding both Arkansas and Washington of a neoconservative war hawk like French Hill.
Reynolds deserves the chance of serving in Congress.
Rep. Steven Palazzo, R-Miss., has been a fixture in Washington since 2006, but has not earned himself any favors.
By voting proxy and maintaining his status as one of the most liberal fiscal conservatives in all of the Mississippi congressional delegation, Palazzo has gone against the America First agenda by supporting legislation such as the Immunization Infrastructure Modernization Act of 2021, an Act creating a database that would document vaccine administrations by violating the privacy of Americans.
Along with many others, it is these reasons which have resulted in Palazzo getting a primary challenge from businessman Clay Wagner.
Wagner has forged a campaign prioritizing state’s rights, constituent service, establishing term limits, and actual conservative values in challenging an incumbent such as Palazzo that prioritizes nothing about what Louisianan conservatives stand for.
Mississippi’s fourth district needs a change. Wagner is the man to make it.
Firebrands embody and employ a new ideology for the GOP. In actually prioritizing values that are the bedrock of actual conservatism and America First, candidates like Bequette, Wagner, and Reynolds are what the Republican Party needs to re-mold itself.
Hopefully, victories happen for these men.
They have started new conversations about what it means to be a true Republican.
Kenny Cody is a conservative writer and activist from Northeast Tennessee. Read Kenny Cody's Reports — More Here.