I am having more than a few friends complain to me that the GOP which has "learned its lesson" from past mistakes, is acting absolutely no differently than it did before their wake-up calls in '06 & '08.

You're right, next January will be a really interesting month.

You will either have someone step up to challenge Schostak (and infuriating the elites in the process).

Candidate 1:  Isn't a firebrand conservative, but has the capability to build an organization and raise the funds necessary to communicate the conservative message to the electorate and thus is very effective in helping Conservatives win elections.

Candidate 2:  Has demonsterable solid conservative beliefs but has no proven track record of building an effective organization nor the ability to raise the funds necessary to help communicate the message to the electorate.  

Give me candidate 1 all day long. As for Candidate 2, I suggest that activists should rally 'round that person and get him or her to run for office.

Like it or not, Conservatives won elections this year because the Republican Party was organized, was blessed with a gubernatorial nominee that did not need the state party to fund his general election campaign, the state party was so well funded that it could put massive resources into both Supreme Court races, an expanded legislative field, 4 U.S. House races, Attorney General and SoS races denying the Democrats any place to plant their flag.

The result...A Republican Governor, massive Conservative majorities in both Houses of the legislature, Secretary of State Ruth Johnson, Attorney General Bill Schuette, Justice Bob Young, Justice Mary Beth Kelly and Congressmen Tim Walberg and Dan Benishek.

A fired up Tea Party organization definitely helped, but was not the only factor that mattered. Proof of this is the U.S. Senate races in Delaware, Colorado and Alaska.