While it is no secret that the Republican party is in disarray, yesterdays special election in Mississippi should not dampen the GOP’s spirits, if anything it should enlighten them. While the media and the DNC will taught this victory as the continued downfall of the Republican party, a closer look at the candidate gives me hope. The Hill reports today that the “sky is falling on House Republicans“, noting that the party is in shambles.

The GOP loss in Mississippi’s special election Tuesday is the strongest sign yet that the Republican Party is in shambles. And while some Republicans see a light at the end of the tunnel, that light more likely represents the Democratic train that is primed to mow down more Republicans in November.

I am one of those who sees the light at the end of the tunnel, not as Republican mind you, but as a conservative. The term Republican is simply a label, it is an identifier that says you belong to a group of likeminded individuals, the term conservative is a principle, a belief system which you base your life (and your voting) on. As a conservative who has watched the Republican party spend recklessly over the last decade, I can honestly say I have no intention of voting the party line come November. Instead I plan to look at each of the candidates based on where they stand on the issues, not the party they represent.

A look at Travis Childers has given me hope for the November elections, and should be a reminder to the Republican party who their base is. If you watch Travis Childers campaign ad you will notice something very peculiar about it.

As you can see he ran on a platform of pro-gun, pro-life, and against reckless spending. These are Republican principles coming from a Democrat. Here is what Childers had to say about immigration:

“Illegal immigration is a serious problem, and the President and Congress have had us headed in the wrong direction on this issue for many years. First, we need to get control of the border, not only as a matter of immigration policy but as a matter of national security. Second, we need to crack down on the businesses and corporations that exploit illegal workers. Third, we need to stop giving illegal immigrants government benefits. Finally, we need to send illegal immigrants who are convicted criminals back home for good. I oppose amnesty for illegal immigrants.”

Travis Childers as it turns out, is further to the right than the presumptive Republican candidate John McCain. The Childers victory in Mississippi does not tell me that people are abandoning the Republican party for the Democratic party as the DNC will say, it tells me that people are abandoning the Republican party for conservative candidates.

In short, Republicans lost the special election not because voters are moving to the left, but because the Democrats moved to the right. This gives me hope for November.

Update:Ed Morrissey agrees that Republicans should learn a lesson from this loss:

The lack of motivation comes from a disgust with a Republican Party that still hasn’t learned why it lost the majority in 2006. They lost those mid-term elections not because voters stopped supporting conservative principles, but because the House GOP stopped supporting conservative principles. Look at who won these special elections; they’re all Blue Dog Democrats, running in support of conservative themes such as gun rights. Now look at the Republicans who last held those seats, such as Hastert and Wicker — Republicans who spent other people’s money on waste and personal ambition.

Did the House GOP caucus take a hard line on pork-barrel spending or adopt policies to cut federal spending? No. Republican voters and conservative pundits begged the House and Senate caucuses to make dramatic breaks with the previous six years and adopt real conservative policies of fiscal responsibility and federalism. What did they do? They offered to stop earmarking only if Democrats followed suit, a deal everyone knew would never take place.

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Election 2008, Features, Taxes