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Rove's super PAC supporting 'electable' candidates

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    Inside the effort to rebrand Republican Party

  • Duration 5:46
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On the brink of civil war a feud between grassroots conservatives and establishment Republicans is threatening to boil over.

At the center of all of -- a battle over candidates for the 2014 mid term elections Karl Rove is launching.

The conservative victory project after some high profile losses in November.

His argument the Republican primary process is nominated candidates who are quote un electable.

And he aims to change that Fox News contributor Karl Rove joins us now Karl good to see you.

If the I -- it's a project of American crossroads not of coral room American crossroads group that I.

Helped organize is undertaking well you are at least 50% of American crossroads if we attribute much of it to you I hope you don't mind but tell me what's -- I'm I'm I'm I'm actually about this much of the American -- has been there have been everybody seems to -- and all of them put it all on me is okay go ahead I think that's -- a testament that to -- track record.

When you talk about electable vs un electable Carla what's what's -- electable.

-- un electable -- somebody has a penchant for being a bad candidate who goes out and says.

Things to get him into difficulty has difficulty raising money building -- grassroots support and runs generally -- disciplined campaign.

And has in their background things explode during the course of the campaign and result in their losing and we have lost too many seats in 2010 and 2011.

And the Democrats are are are picking up on this for example in the Missouri senate Republican primary.

We had the former state treasurer Sarah Steelman who's endorsed by Sarah Palin we -- John Brunner a self made businessmen from Saint Louis endorsed by the US chamber of commerce.

In the third candidate runway behind the pack was congressman -- and -- -- suburban Saint Louis but he won the primary and he won the primary in large measure because Harry Reid's political action committee.

Went in and spent more money attacking him during the Republican primary as being.

Conservatives they cities too conservative he's never supported a tax increase he's always been pro life he's even supported a balanced budget amendment to kind of things that a dear people.

Two in the Republican primary and -- -- candidates to the Republican primary voter.

And from the Harry Reid spent more money than any the other candidates in order to get the weakest Republican into the general election.

No -- that they had a very difficult uphill fight in Missouri and sure enough they got the weakest candidate and he blew himself up with the infamous comment about -- legitimate right.

Let you know Carly you insist -- the conservative victory project is not an attempted to purge conservative candidates this is just to put in more not at all quote electable candidates but of course.

The conservative wing of the Republican Party -- the most electable candidate is the most moderate and that's not necessarily the people that they wanna see running for Obama look look look click click click click click let's let's be clear about this American crossroads has track record let's look at the track record.

Crossroads support for Tea Party candidates we are the largest financial backers of Tea Party candidates for the senate and house the last election cycles.

We spent over thirty million dollars for Tea Party senate candidates.

Over 25 million dollars for house candidates we spent two point nine million dollars from Marco Rubio more than any other group in the general election two point seven for Rand Paul.

Eight million dollars in Colorado for Ken -- five point one million dollars in Nevada for Sharon angle running against Harry Reid.

Pat Toomey the head of Club for Growth former head of Club for Growth we spent one point four million dollars more than the group that he used to -- We spent a billion dollars last year in Nebraska relatively inexpensive state -- a million dollars a lot of money.

For Deb Fischer we spent five point nine million dollars for Richard Murdoch and we spent 3.3 million dollars in Missouri.

And we stopped running and RA can ads are pro -- and -- how are anti McCaskill -- wouldn't when he blew himself up but there's no group.

That has been more supportive of Tea Party candidates in general elections and we are.

-- -- not about ideology look I think I'm I'm a huge Marco Rubio fan I gave him money I want all these sort of establishment types for saint.

Charlie Crist is the guy I gave Marco Rubio my personal contribution because I knew he was an incredible communicators.

He was the conservative who could win and that's what we're looking for the conservative who can win.

So Carl -- in terms of all of those names he mentioned one sticks out that is Pat Toomey in the Club for Growth.

Wish things that you that you are trying to go against grassroots conservatives here points tonight to 2000 and sports is why did Karl -- Urge President Bush to support Arlen Specter over Pat Toomey because of Pat -- had -- one and 2004.

Arlen Specter would not switch the democratic side 2009 and bin what many people concluded to be the deciding vote for a -- here.

-- look -- my job in 2004 as senior advisor President Bush was to give them advice on the best way to manage the Republican senate caucus.

And if if bush should come out against the chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee who is helping move forward all the president's nominees.

For -- for the judiciary we would have real problems there's a difference between being a presidential advisor which I was there and and be what I am now which is of person helping American crossroads.

You mentioned Club for Growth Club for Growth is headed by Christian cola.

And I must close to be a bad guy because I was also the -- in 2002.

They went and convince President Bush to go to Indiana twice to campaign in -- Christian -- now you've been around -- a long time.

You know it's rare that a Republican and -- a Republican or democratic president.

Campaigns for in an open seat for congress let alone go in there and doing two fundraisers -- you you know if Club for Growth was to be critical of me about not being a sufficient conservative than maybe.

Maybe my mistake was convincing bush Christmas present he need to go to any candidate can have made wise for just critical and I was glad we did he was a good remember he's a friend of mine.

But they're bad they're off base here they're they're for they're there.

They're they're they're they're being paranoid when they shouldn't be paranoid all right well we'll keep watching this to see which way goes and whether you're -- -- -- -- McCourt Carl wrote that so much good -- doctor.

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