As some of you may know, conservative hero and Senator Jim DeMint (SC) recently started the Senate Conservatives’ Fund. You can read my earlier write-up on the new group and how it fits into the growing list of movement conservative institutions here.

Senator DeMint is soliciting conservatives’ advice as to what races the SCF should support; obviously the candidates should be truly conservative ones, not simply anyone with an “R” next to their name.

I have already emailed them with my recommendations at this time. I need to do a bit more research before I make any further ones; I sent them the names of three candidates that jumped out at me immediately as conservatives from my knowledge of them - they are Sens. Inhofe, Cornyn, and Rep. Pearce (running for NM - SEN). I know several others are pretty reliably conservative, but I wanted to send them my initial thoughts immediately and hem and haw a bit about other races. I’m sure other conservatives have sent them the most pressing names as well, meaning hopefully they can get a sense for the highest-priority races in the conservative sense.  And, some of these guys are pretty good conservative votes but will not need the help (see Saxby Chambliss in Georgia).

The following is a list of Senate races this November:

ALABAMA: Jeff Sessions (R)* vs. Vivian Davis Figures (D)

ALASKA: Ted Stevens (R)* vs. Mark Begich (D)

COLORADO: Bob Schaffer (R) vs. Mark Udall (D)

GEORGIA: Saxby Chambliss (R)* vs. Vernon Jones (D)

IDAHO: James Risch (R) vs. Larry LaRocco (D)

KENTUCKY: Mitch McConnell (R)* vs. Bruce Lunsford (D)

LOUISIANA: John Kennedy (R) vs. Mary Landrieu (D)*

MAINE: Susan Collins (R)* vs. Tom Allen (D)

MINNESOTA: Norm Coleman (R)* vs. Al Franken (DFL)

MISSISSIPPI: Roger Wicker (R)* vs. Ronnie Musgrove (D

NEBRASKA: Mike Johanns (R) vs. Scott Kleeb (D)

NEW HAMPSHIRE: John Sununu (R)* vs. Jeanne Shaheen (D

NEW JERSEY: Dick Zimmer (R) vs. Frank Lautenberg (D)*

NEW MEXICO: Steve Pearce (R) vs. Tom Udall (D)

NORTH CAROLINA: Elizabeth Dole (R)* vs. Kay Hagan (D)

OKLAHOMA: Jim Inhofe (R)* vs. Andrew Rice (D)

OREGON: Gordon Smith (R)* vs. Jeff Merkley (D)

SOUTH DAKOTA: Joel Dykstra (R) vs. Tim Johnson (D)*

TEXAS: John Cornyn (R)* vs. Rick Noriega (D)

VIRGINIA: Jim Gilmore (R) vs. Mark Warner (D)

* Incumbent

You can email the SCF with recommendations at: info@senateconservatives.com .

California State Sen. Tom McClintock, darling of the conservatives in California and rabble-rouser against Gov. Schwarzenegger and the Democratic-controlled CA legislature.  Club for Growth endorsed, as well.

We should start a series on this site highlighting Republican candidates worthwhile of SaveTheGOPers’ support this election cycle.  A Save the GOP “slatecard” if you will.

Members and readers of this site certainly have disagreements about the GOP nominee for president, which is understandable and healthy for us to debate.

With that disagreement (and lack of real passion for McCain for most STG supporters of him, anyway, more of a “anybody but Obama” mindset), we should focus on where conservatives can make a difference and need to rebuild our bench: Congress, governorships, state house control, et cetera.

The Alaskan Representative with Potomac Fever gets the endorsement of Huck PAC.

Republican Lt. Gov. Sean Parnell, challenging Young in the party primary, has the endorsement of Gov. Sarah Palin (rapidly gaining attention beyond the blogosphere in recent weeks) and of the Club for Growth.

I’d say that’s a pretty good litmus test, and a microcosm of the battle within the Republican Party. On one side you have the Huck PACs and incumbent Don Youngs, and on the other side you have the upstart reformist conservatives. My bet? Young gets bested in the primary. Another RINO bites the dust. Slowly but surely, conservatives manage to accrue more power within the Party. This could mean great things for 2012, 2016, or beyond.

National Review has a primer on Don Young.

Cross-posted at The Next Right.