National conservative activists looking at Texas, Florida, and California...

There are primary battles in three big states that are catching the attention of conservative activists who targeted Dede Scozzafava (link). Excerpt follows...

Conservative activists aren't wasting any time in mourning, as one put it, in the wake of their anointed candidate's narrow loss in New York's 23rd Congressional District.

Republican Party Chairman Michael Steele is among the realists who look at Conservative Party nominee Doug Hoffman's defeat and see . . . a defeat. But the groups, bloggers and radio talkers who poured time, money and passion into the dramatic roller coaster race are taking heart. Hoffman's meteoric rise from 17 percent to near-victory proves that "the principles of limited government and economic freedom are ascendant" heading into 2010, Club For Growth President Chris Chocola told supporters Wednesday.

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Texas Governor. Tony Perkins, head of the Family Research Council, has endorsed Gov. Rick Perry. He's being challenged by Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison, who is considered a moderate. And maybe she is, compared to Perry, who has expressed sympathy from time to time with Texans who want to secede from the union. On the other hand, one of Hutchison's endorsers is former Vice President Dick Cheney.

I think the NY 23 race probably left a bad taste in the mouths of some of the Red State peeps, but circumstances in that race were strange and if anything it will make them want to win to get back on track... the next primary could be in Texas in March, and with Rick up by 12 over Kay in the latest polls it could be a winning race to latch onto and propel their momentum toward Florida and California which vote much later in the year... nothing like a win to make everything better and reenergize the troops...