Republican Senator Jim DeMint is going against the GOP establishment and endorsing his own candidates in senatorial races across the country. Bob Costa tells me that this is about more than DeMint: It’s about the direction of the Republican party. Highlights:

1:00 — The battle is being fought in places like Florida (Rubio vs. Crist) and Kentucky (Paul vs. Grayson).

2:45 — The battle is about more than individual races — it’s about ideology vs. pragmatism.

4:50 — Do you have to win moderate independents to win races?

6:43 — I say I don’t want to compromise. I want the William Wallace/John Galt candidate. I want to be inspired.