What would a Rod Grams primary challenge to Sen. Norm Coleman (R-MN) signify? Rumors have spread that Grams is considering. The closest he's come to saying anything is:

"I haven't said yes. I haven't said no," said Grams.
(Political Animal)

Like many Republicans, Grams is unhappy with Coleman, unhappy with the Bush Administration and unhappy with the presumptive Republican nominee John McCain.

Why?

For several reasons. First, the party is splintering and the vaunted unity they have prized for so long is beginning to finally fray. Secondly, many conservatives don't like Coleman and would prefer to have a real conservative (not man they consider a RINO) as their Senator. Thirdly, Coleman is doing rather poorly against Al Franken. Finally, many conservatives may be willing to purify the party at the expense of a Senate defeat.

Unity

McCain is definitely not a uniter. He has shown contempt for the far right of the party up until last spring when he began pandering to them. While Coleman panders to the far right in the party, they don't believe what he says or trust that he's really with them. The far right may not be willing to accept a candidate they don't like when they see their Rovian dreams of a 100 years of one party rule floundering. Conservatives don't like moderates and have been trying to run them out of the party for years.

RINO

I've noted on a number of occasions when conservatives have boo'ed Norm about his stances on taxes or gotten angry with him for voting wrong on immigration. These are the people who work tirelessly to get Republicans elected. They would likely hold their noses and vote for him, but why would they come out and volunteer?

Franken is kicking his butt

Al is outraising Norm and has pulled even statistically and even ahead slightly in a recent poll. Normally, challengers start slowly. They initially have trouble gaining name recognition and fundraising picks up by the summer. If this is slowly for Al Franken, Norm is about to have a industrial-sized can of whupp-ass poured over him. For a guy who doesn't excite the base and with the Republicans strapped for cash defending a whole load of seats, how much money are they going to spend on him if, like with Mark Kennedy, polls show him getting trounced come August.

Purity

Ever heard of a Republican purity troll? Does Coultergeist ring a bell? The far right in the Republican Party have been pushing out the moderates for years and years.