Today, the first shot in a war was fired...

and it was in the war for control of the Republican Party agenda for the next four years.  It was fired by South Carolina Senator Jim Demint, who announced that he will leave the Senate to become president of a conservative think tank, The Heritage Foundation.  "I’ve decided to join The Heritage Foundation at a time when the conservative movement needs strong leadership in the battle of ideas."

The conservative agenda has items, closely mirroring the agenda of the Tea Party, which just loves Senator Demint, that are among the reasons Mitt Romney lost an election that was his to win.  His lack of a coherent message along with his propensity for placing both feet firmly in his mouth were not helped by the conservative agenda items of opposing abortion rights and wanted to prevent same-sex marriages from gaining legal recognition.

Now Demint will be the leader of a very influential group that will promote the Tea Party agenda that he adores.  Now he will be pushing the Republican party away from the direction they need to move in...toward the center rather than more to the right.  The perception that Republicans are the party for millionaires only is one that won't be altered by continuing to hew to the far right's positions, particularly this intransigence over raising taxes.

South Carolina's governor Nikki Haley is also part of the Tea Party movement, like Demint, and she will probably appoint Congressman Tim Scott to replace Demint.  Scott is an attractive replacement for several reasons.  He is liked by the Tea Party.  He is a conservative Republican.  And, he's an African-American.  In addition, in the district he represents, a Republican will almost certainly be elected to replace him in the House. 

If the Republican party hopes to have any chance at being relevant in the 2016 presidential elections, no matter who is their nominee, they can't allow Demint and the other far right conservatives push the party's agenda in the wrong direction.  It's a formula for disaster.