The wounded and dying brand of Republicanism in 2008 was hoping to rename themselves and emerge anew from the ashes when they embraced the Tea Party from many angles including Dick Army's lobby group, the Koch Bros when they were talked into it later, and from the more authentic grass root people who were really upset from the crash. Then religious fundamentalists tried it on for size and then the Citizens United case allowed millions to be poured into Tea Party candidate campaigns.

They did not even know who they were paying in many cases. They won 87 seats.

Republicans just thought aha, we have both a new name and an excited base again. It didn;t turn out that way. Over half of the new members are patheticly ignorant. Republicans are already rueing the day.