Sen. DeMint touts efforts to put his colleagues out of work

Imagine going to work every day knowing that several of your colleagues are about to lose their job. For Sen. Jim DeMint, that's a source of pride.

The South Carolina Republican glowed with satisfaction Friday as he told conservatives gathered at this year's Values Voter Summit about his successful efforts to throw multiple sitting Republicans out of office.

DeMint conceded that some of "our establishment friends" are pretty unhappy with him these days.

"I've been working for the last year to stir up some vigorous primaries," DeMint said. "Because of people like you ... there has been one upset after another all over the country."

DeMint and his conservative political action committee, Our Country Deserves Better, have helped oust incumbents across the country, including many "senior Republicans," DeMint said. Republicans who told constituents "you need me because I can bring home the bacon" are having less success with that argument, the senator argued.

"Even in Alaska they threw out that senator and ushered in Joe Miller," DeMint said, referencing Lisa Murkowski's recent loss in a state that prides itself on its ability to garner federal dollars.

Beyond Miller, DeMint touted other conservative candidates he is backing this November: Sharron Angle in Nevada, Pat Toomey in Pennsylvania, Marco Rubio in Florida, Rand Paul in Kentucky and Christine O'Donnell in Delaware.

"This is no longer voting for the least worst on the ballot," DeMint told his conservative allies.

(Photo: AP/Jacquelyn Martin)