A charismatic liberal candidate convinces voters to reject the center-right as "uncaring extremists," and carries the election. The conservatives are confused and demoralized. The party battles internally about whether to blame the defeat on too much ideological purity, or not enough. This may sound familiar. But I'm referring to the British Conservative Party in 2005, after the center-left Tony Blair strolled to another victory (his third) in the UK's general election. Conservatives wondered if they'd ever win again, and some despaired for the future of their country -- with power seemingly unobtainable. Yet five years later they were back in government.
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