“If Lugar Doesn’t Represent the Will of the Electorate, Then He Doesn’t Belong in Office.”

Ed Morrissey of Hot Air takes it to the New York Times' recent paean to their latest favorite "maverick" Republican, Dick Lugar:

Since when is Dick Lugar the canary in the coal mine for Republicanism? I’m not a Lugar hater by any stretch; he’s a six-term Senator and has done some good work on Capitol Hill for the GOP. However, Republicans around the country have made clear that they want ObamaCare challenged by every legal means at hand — and a large number of independents feel the same way. If Lugar doesn’t represent the will of the electorate, then he doesn’t belong in office.

And that is exactly what primaries and elections tell us. When did it suddenly become unacceptable to test that in a primary? Do elections put us “beyond redemption,” or does Danforth really want to suggest that Lugar and others similarly ensconced in power should be placed beyond accountability? Danforth and the Times seem to forget that we have a representative government, not a ruling class, and that voters get to decide who those representatives will be.

This republic managed to stand before Dick Lugar came along. If Lugar loses an election, it will manage to stand as the sun rises in the east. Also, one personal word of advice for Senator Lugar: beware of being the NYT’s favorite Republican “maverick.” That was John McCain’s position until early 2008, when the Times began a months-long smear campaign against him. Being the NYT’s favorite Republican is somewhat akin to being a snake’s favorite mouse.

That last line is particularly memorable:

"Being the NYT’s favorite Republican is somewhat akin to being a snake’s favorite mouse."