Which is why the Senate was originally supposed to be appointed by state legislatures instead of general elections. That way one house of Congress would be comprised of mainstream party members, not whackos. The 17th amendment to the US Constitution has done more to screw up this country than most anything else. It altered the genious compromise of the Virginia plan that was hashed out at the Federal Convention in a fundamental way, completely shifting the balance of power away from states and to the feds. State legislatures used to be the power that controlled who sat at the Senate table. Now, it's special interest groups and private money instead. And because the Senate is now elected instead of being appointed, they are pressured to enact legislation to satisfy their constituents. Prior to the 17th, legislation only originated in the house, and then the seasoned and knowledgeable Senate reviewed those laws to be sure they weren't populist pandering. Now, they just create their own populist pandering.