This fine Senator cares little about what the Washington Compost thinks about his promotion!!!!!

Welcome to the elite group of Tea Party folks ..... they are called QUITTERS, just like Ms. Sarah.

Delete #2...

FTA: Solutions to many of the nation’s problems, its fiscal challenge most of all, will require give and take.

There must be no more giving or taking... simply cut spending.

When you are not appreciated... it is time to change paths...

It´s a smart move. Could be setting himself up for a 2016 run, but of course he is the wrong gender/ skin color and not a celebrotard, so that would be an act of futility.

Since Boehner disrespected the Tea Party members by removing them from committees, it´s clear DeMint has another plan. Perhaps a new party.... Constitutionalists or The Freedom Party.

Bye, GOP! You´ll miss us!

So what happens to his seat? I agree that we need better communication of the message, but this is a setback.

The comments section of this article are depressing. They generally think that this removal of a brain will improve the constipated house of Harry Reid. :-(

FTA: To be sure, his political apparatus helped several of the Senate’s most conservative members win the seats they now hold, but he also backed candidates who were so far right that they lost winnable races and damaged the party’s brand.

No, the Republican party damaged the party´s brand all by itself. Senator DeMint and the Senate Conservatives group backed candidates they felt would follow the Constitution. The Republicans better get a grip on what its core values mean.

I agree with #3 - "Delete #2..."

#6 - The Governor of his state, Nikki Haley, will appoint a replacement until an election can be scheduled, or until DeMint´s next regular re-election cycle. Nikki Haley is Republican, and South Carolina has one fine congressman in Tim Scott - look him up. Hope he´s the one she chooses.

As for DeMint and his move here, I´m excited about it. Time to renew membership in Heritage.... I´ve let mine lapse because the message just doesn´t seem to get out, no matter what they do. DeMint will no doubt be more vocal and visual with it!

And if he´s formulating an official TEA Party (born from Taxed Enough Already), by whatever name it becomes known, I´m there. The GOP has abused my good nature long enough. There´s more at stake now than mere gamesmanship - the ´´their turn´´ dynamic. And Boehner booting off good conservative Republicans from committees is unforgivable.

We need to remember here that GOVERNMENT (whether programs or service) IS NOT ALWAYS THE BEST ANSWER.

Congratulations, Jim DeMint. Congratulations Heritage Foundation!

In re: 6, Depends on the Constitution of the State of South Carolina, however if it is like Missouri, the Governor will appoint an interim Senator to serve until the Mid-term Elections. Since the Governor of South Carolina is Ms. Nikki Haley, I believe the seat will remain Republican.

Great strategic position for him.

The first step in our move to take back our country...

Signed the Tea Partier from Illinois.,,,,,,,

Have to sign off quickly now -- Bonener´s black helicopters are coming (sarcasm)........

LZK

The GOP´s framing of argument and losing winning arguments has cost the country dearly.

If Sen. DeMint feels the best use of his time and energy is to resign and lead the Heritage Foundation then I am in favor of it.

any pretense GOP had to include Tea Party folks is gone, #2 I am w/ you and there is many of us here in the blue North East. GOP is not much different now then Dem, in many ways Tea Party and Ron Paul´s people are offering something none of the other two can Freedom from Government. Stop telling us that 3rd party will weaken GOP, how much weaker you want to get? GOP became irrelevant.

Spin it any way you like... Here´s my take:

DeMint is disgusted by the state of government, the unprincipled self-interested grifters of the supposedly "conservative" political party, and the steaming pile of politics in general. He is therefore washing his hands of the whole rotten mess, and looking out for his own best interests. He will do well at Heritage, but you won´t hear a lot from Jim DeMint in the future. after all- can you name the CURRENT Director of Heritage??

I don´t blame him. Congress is full of corrupt, nasty, sleazy people (dems). I wouldn´t want to deal with that ever day, either. #2, that´s an unintelligent comment. It doesn´t fit in here. Better go back to huffpo, etc.

The discussion over DeMint is intriguing. I´m frankly surprised to find a small but vocal group of posters cheering DeMint´s departure. My assumption was always that conservatives viewed the GOP as a means, not an end itself. Faced with a choice between a principled conservative in power or an unprincipled moderate, conservatives would naturally opt for the former. Of course people of good faith can disagree about the viability of particular candidates, but the shared goal should be more conservatives in office and more conservative voices in general.

Perhaps I was naive. The attacks on DeMint from some on this site suggest that the issue isn´t electoral viability (Palin), personal morality (Newt), or religiosity (Santorum). It would appear that some nominally conservative posters just can´t stand real conservatives in practice. These folks present themselves as pragmatic conservatives but spend most of their time backing establishment moderates and attacking principled conservative alternatives. They are sheep in wolves clothing, and they weaken us for the struggle that lies ahead.

As long as we are guaranteed a conservative replacement, so we don´t lose a vote, who cares? Demint has been good at supporting new candidates. Maybe he´ll find a way at Heritage to help our branding.

#2 - Were I rude and unschooled in the collegiality of this blog, I would suggest that this is trolling, using Democrat taunts from 2009. However, I am sure that there was no intent to irritate other L-dotters./

Senator Demint is my wonderful senator. I contributed to his Senate Conservative PAC rather than the RNC this election cycle. So I am sad that he is going and leaving us with the insipid Lindsay Graham, who by the way couldn´t wait to send out messages to the pubbies in SC giving a testimonial to Jim Demint.

Tim Scott was our congressman until they redistricted and now we have a good ole boy moderate.

It would be wonderful to have Tim as our senator. I hope Nikki Haley appoints him. And I wish Senator Demint the best in his future endeavors.

Being a member of the minority party in the Senate has no standing or value in society, today. As long as Dingy is able to run the ship, DeMint is far better off moving on.

Based on Baner´s (as in bane of our existence) is ruling the House, conservatives need to consider alternatives.

Obviously, the argument about splitting the vote has no juice today. The Country is so split as it stands, it is TIME for the conservatives to unite and fight.

The Freedom Party has a ring to it. Americans arise and unite. It is TIME and it is of the essence.

As a South Carolinian, Tim Scott is an excellent choice. The only downside to this is it may help Miss Lindsay get re-elected. Scott was going to "primary" him.

#6 The governor of S.C. appoints his replacement who will then run for election on their own in 2014. Technically Gov. Haley could appoint herself and the Lt. Gov would replace her and they´d both run for election on their own in 2014.That would be a good idea because they´re both the kind of peole we want in those positions.Haley has done a great job as governor of S.C.

They, the wuse repubic elitist, may as well all go home under the current colluding cowardly leadership.
This will mercifully hasten the end nad perhaps something may rise from the ruins.
Load and lock because this is coming to your town soon.

Senator DeMint is one of the less wealthy senators presently serving. If the opportunity presented itself to go make some money, I certainly don´t have a problem with it.

Besides look at the state and the people who back him up. There is no one from the state of South Carolina who isn´t top notch...with the exception of Lindsey Graham who falls off the Conservative wagon from time to time.

There is no truth to the ugly rumor that Jesse Jr. opened the bidding for this seat at 5 million --- before he found out that the SC governor is a Republican. None whatsoever.

i wish wapo would acknowledge that a good number of liberal/moderate/non-tea party republican candidates ALSO lost and that the only reason the house is republican at all is BECAUSE of the tea party. but why worry that wapo will tell the real story.

Compromising Republicans to the WAPO means capitulating to the leftist media/Democrat agenda. We never read any editorials that said after the 2010 election the Democrats and Barry had to start compromising. Never.

I am sorry to see DeMint go, but I hope that Haley will appoint a strong conservative.

#21, I agree. I would love to see Tim Scott appointed to the seat DeMint is leaving.
#16, I would suggest to you that you are misjudging and mischaracterizing those posters who are not devout DeMint fans and are attributing motives to them that spring solely from your imagination.

#24, the opportunity to make more money did present itself. DeMint´s current salary ins $172,000. His predecessor, Edwin Feulner, made $1,250,000 per year as head of the Heritage Foundation. I doubt if DeMint´s salary will be less than that.

Might I suggest a polite challenge or contest to come up with a really catchy and marketable name for the new party of the future ?

You know.....the party of amateur, short term, liberty loving, small government patriots.