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The opposite of “novelty”

Establishment Republicans are really getting unhinged by fresh, conservative voices — especially female and minority ones — who are on the rise.

You’ll recall that earlier this month, Romney supporter Ann Coulter took to ABC News to put down Sarah Palin and Marco Rubio as “novelty” candidates.

Yesterday at the Utah Republican convention, where crusty incumbent Sen. Orrin Hatch failed in his $6 million bid to avoid a primary fight for the nomination, the state’s attorney general attacked 4th CD candidate and Tea Party favorite Mia Love as a…”novelty.”

Many Republicans were shocked Saturday when Attorney General Mark Shurtleff seemingly dismissed Mia Love — the first black woman nominated for Congress in Utah — as a “novelty.”

“You have to please pick a person with a proven record who can beat Jim Matheson this fall. Not a novelty,” Shurtleff said.

The reference drew boos from many in the audience and outrage from many Republicans.

Republican National Committeewoman Enid Mickelsen said she had an angry confrontation with Shurtleff over the comment.

“At first I didn’t believe it,” Mickelsen said. But Shurtleff, she said, didn’t back away from the comment.

“He said, ‘Enid, what else is her appeal?’ And I lost it,” Mickelsen said.

Shurtleff’s “apology” is as phony as any non-apology apology I’ve heard from Beltway crapweasels.

Read all about it here.

He argues that she doesn’t have enough experience over his chosen candidate (the defeated state legislator Carl Wimmer) — even though Wimmer has served less time in public office than Love (a former city council member and current mayor of Saratoga Springs).

The gracious Love accepted Shurtleff’s lame apology. But it leaves the same bitter taste that Coulter’s swipe at Palin and Rubio did. What the hell are they thinking?

The Left does enough to marginalize Tea Party candidates and minority conservatives without extra piling on by thoughtless establishment Republicans threatened by new competition.

As with so many ad hominem attacks, the most effective way to fight back is to hijack their language. They see “novelty” as a pejorative. But the opposite of novelty is staleness, sameness, and idleness. The voters yesterday endorsed “novelty” over entrenched incumbency.

Election 2012: Out with the same old, same old. In with the fresh, new, and novel.

Love faces Democrat Rep. Jim Matheson in the general. Support her campaign here.