Earlier this week, the Karl Rove-backed super PAC American Crossroads, rolled out the Conservative Victory Project, which was largely seen as an effort to prevent Tea Party conservatives from foiling future elections for the GOP.
Rove defended the new initiative Tuesday on Fox News, highlighting former Missouri GOP Senate candidate Todd Akin as an example of someone who had not represented "the best" the Republican Party could do.
"It's amazing that people think Todd Akin was the best we could've come up with," Rove said, referring to the conservative congressman whose campaign imploded when he made controversial comments about rape. "He wasn't even a Tea Partier."
Rove also argued that the purpose of the new group wasn't to drive divisions within the GOP.
“This is not Tea Party versus the establishment," he said. "I don’t want a fight.”
The creation of the Conservative Victory Project drew significant criticism from Republicans. Former Rep. Joe Walsh (R-Ill.) initiated his own super PAC to counter Rove's anti-Tea Party push. Walsh challenged Rove on his Facebook page, declaring, "let the fight for the soul of the Republican Party begin."
On Fox News, Rove explained why his super PAC will no longer back the type of GOP candidates who have won primaries, only to lose in the general election.
"We need to get better conservative candidates and win," Rove urged.
Before You Go
