"Tea Party" Senator Jim Demint of South Carolina resigning

Wall Street Journal: "Mr. DeMint, the South Carolina junior senator, had said he wouldn't run for another term in 2016, but his announcement Thursday was a surprise. Mr. DeMint is a tea-party icon who has long argued that GOP leaders have pursued compromise at the expense of ideals."

"Mr. DeMint's departure comes as the Republican party has becoming increasingly divided between conservatives and moderates, and shortly after elections that saw the Democrats expand their seats in the Senate and make inroads on Republicans' House majority.

Last year, during the fight over the debt ceiling, Mr. DeMint encouraged rank-and-file Republicans to oppose a debt deal, complaining that the Republican establishment was shutting out conservatives. Just this week, Mr. DeMint has spoken out against House Speaker John Boehner's proposal for avoiding the fiscal cliff, warning that its calls to raise taxes will destroy American jobs."

"One of the key ways that Mr. DeMint built his influence wasn't from within the Senate, but by backing primary challenges—at times putting him at odds with Republican leaders who wanted candidates they considered more electable. His Senate Conservatives Fund has supported Senate candidates in primary and general elections who espouse what he feels to be conservative values."

Tthree links to comments on this: 

1.  "What does this mean to conservative movement?"  http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/the-fix/wp/2012/12/06/what-jim-demints-resignation-says-about-him-the-senate-and-the-conservative-movement/?hpid=z2

2. "Good riddance." http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/right-turn/wp/2012/12/06/good-riddance-mr-demint/

3. "Shocker" and other reactions from fellow lawmakers.