Conservatives call on GOP leaders to step down

WASHINGTON—Six conservative leaders blasted Mitt Romney as a “weak, moderate” candidate and called for Republican Party leaders to resign a day after Democrats dealt the GOP a sweeping defeat in the 2012 elections.

Brent Bozell, the chairman of ForAmerica and founder of the Media Research Center, Marjorie Dannenfelser, president of the pro-life Susan B. Anthony List, and Jenny Beth Martin, national coordinator for the Tea Party Patriots, were among the press conference speakers who laid “the epic election failure of 2012” at the feet of Republican elites.

ConservativeHQ.com's Richard Viguerie identified Republican National Chairman Reince Priebus, Senatorial Committee Chairman John Cornyn, Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell, and House Speaker John Boehner as individuals who “should be replaced with leaders more in tune with the conservative base of the Republican Party. Likewise, in any logical universe, establishment consultants such as Karl Rove, Ed Gillespie, Romney senior campaign advisor Stuart Stevens, and pollster Neil Newhouse will never be hired to run or consult on a campaign again, and no one would give a dime to their ineffective super PACs, such as American Crossroads.”

Republicans on Tuesday failed to take the White House and lost ground in both houses of Congress. Speaking at a pre-planned event at the National Press Club, the conservative speakers Wednesdaypointed to several reasons for the result, including not clearly defining separate worldviews, failing to run on pro-life or religious freedom issues, and ignoring minority voting blocs.

Bozell said Republicans should get no support from conservatives until they “re-earn it” by agreeing to a list of commitments. The group said conservatives are working together on a “No Excuses” pledge that it will use to hold GOP lawmakers accountable for policies such as not raising taxes, banning earmarks, and defunding Obamacare.

“The GOP has an excellent party platform,” Bozell said. “If you want our support, support your own platform first.”

Dannenfelser said Tuesday was “not a good night” for the pro-life movement but pointed to the Senate election of Deb Fischer, R-Neb., and the reelection of Rep. Michele Bachmann, R-Minn., as silver linings.

Alfred Regnery, president of the Paul Revere Project, and Jeffrey Bell, author of The Case for Polarized Politics, also spoke at the press conference. Grover Norquist, president of Americans for Tax Reform, was a scheduled speaker but did not attend.