Not conservative enough?

Wednesday, May 12, 2010 | 2:01 a.m.

Republican Sen. Bob Bennett of Utah became the latest casualty of his party’s sharp turn to the far right of the political spectrum. During Utah’s Republican Party convention Saturday, delegates denied Bennett a chance to defend the seat he has held for 18 years. He finished third, behind two political novices.

After the vote, delegates cheered and yelled, “He’s gone! He’s gone!” Some waved the yellow “Don’t tread on me” flags, a symbol of the American Revolution that has become de rigueur in the Tea Party movement.

Seven Republicans challenged Bennett in the primary because he “wasn’t conservative enough,” which is stunning given the senator’s record. The U.S. Chamber of Commerce says Bennett has voted with its position 97 percent of the time over his career, and he has repeatedly won the support of conservative groups and causes. Newt Gingrich, Mitt Romney, Karl Rove and the National Rifle Association all endorsed Bennett.

Despite the conservative bona fides, Bennett failed the far right’s litmus tests: He proposed an ill-fated bipartisan health care plan as an alternative to the legislation that passed, and he supported President George W. Bush’s bailout to stave off a complete economic meltdown. So did 33 other Republicans, including Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky.

“The political atmosphere, obviously, has been toxic, and it’s very clear some of the votes that I have cast have added to the toxic environment,” Bennett said. “Looking back on them, with one or two very minor exceptions, I wouldn’t have cast them any differently, even if I’d known at the time it would cost me my career.”

As extremists push the Republican Party further right, it is only making the atmosphere in Washington more toxic and more polarized. Bipartisanship has become a dirty word to the far right, which wants elected officials to march lock step to its narrow ideology or else face its wrath. That is a recipe for gridlock in Washington, worsening the situation occurring in Congress where too many members talk past each other instead of discussing and debating the issues.

To solve the nation’s problems, it takes negotiation and compromise — two more dirty words to the far right. Republicans who have appeared moderate or willing to work with the other side have faltered this year. Florida Gov. Charlie Crist recently bolted the Republican Party in his run for U.S. Senate after being labeled not conservative enough. “Unfortunately our political system is broken,” he said. “I think we need a new tone in Washington.”

The question is whether the American voters want to continue to see Washington engulfed in hyperpartisan politics. We hope not. It is notable that although Bennett lost the vote with delegates, polls show that had he faced voters statewide, he would have won.

Unfortunately, the far right of the Republican Party and the Tea Party crowd is pushing anger, not ideas. That may help them upend others like Bennett and win an election, but it won’t do anything to help America. People don’t want to see gridlock, they want to see elected leaders work together to solve the nation’s problems.