TOP 10 GOP NEWCOMERS

[Geee]

Human Events:

1. Texas Sen. Ted Cruz

Newly elected Ted Cruz is a tea party favorite and handily defeated the establishment-favored Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst 57 percent to 43 percent in the GOP run-off primary. Cruz, whose father fled Cuba after Fidel Castro came to power, was Texas solicitor general from 2003 to 2008, winning cases involving a Ten Commandants monument on public grounds and the recitation of the Pledge of Allegiance in public schools and defending the death penalty from interference from the International Court of Justice

2. Nebraska Sen. Deb Fischer

State legislator Deb Fischer was the only Republican on Election Day to win a Senate race for a seat that had been held by Democrats, defeating Bob Kerrey, a former senator and governor of Nebraska, by a 58 percent to 42 percent margin. Her upset primary victory against well-funded state Attorney General Jon Bruning and state Treasurer Don Stenberg—who both outspent her by a 10-1 margin—was aided by a last minute endorsement by Sarah Palin.

3. Arizona Sen. Jeff Flake

While not exactly a new face to Washington after serving six terms in the House, Jeff Flake will be performing on a larger stage after defeating Democrat Richard Carmona for the Senate seat vacated by Republican Sen. Jon Kyl. Flake made a name for himself in the House as a fiscal conservative who battled pork-barrel spending and crusaded against earmarks.

[nickydog]

Interesting that they included Ann Romney even though she won't be on any ballots. She certainly did add a level of dignity to a miserable campaign.