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December 26th, 2013 7:50 pm by BILL BARROW, Associated Press

ATLANTA Republicans who want to regain control of the Senate will first have to do battle among themselves in 2014 primary elections, largely because of differences over how to proceed against the law they deride as Obamacare.

In a number of Senate primary campaigns, conservatives are arguing over the best way to oppose President Barack Obamas health care law. The outcome of those campaigns could affect the battle over which party controls the Senate.

In intraparty skirmishes from Georgia to Nebraska, the GOPs most strident candidates and activists are insisting on a no-holds-barred approach. They accuse fellow Republicans including several incumbent senators of being too soft in their opposition to the Affordable Care Act and to the president in general.

The struggle will help determine just how conservative the Senate Republican caucus will be during Obamas final two years. And it could influence which party controls the chamber, with Democrats hoping that the most uncompromising Republican standard-bearers will emerge from the primaries and fare as poorly in general elections as their counterparts did in several 2012 Senate races. Republicans need to gain six seats to retake the majority in the Senate.

Republican Rep. Jack Kingston of Georgia, who wants to succeed retiring GOP Sen. Saxby Chambliss, stepped into the dispute recently when he seemed to scold much of his party during an interview on a conservative talk radio show.

A lot of conservatives say, Nah, just step back and let this thing fall to pieces on its own, Kingston said. Well, I dont think thats always the responsible thing to do.

Rep. Paul Broun, one of Kingstons rivals in a crowded primary field, pounced immediately, declaring in an Internet ad, I dont want to fix Obamacare, I want to get rid of it. Conservative commentators hammered Kingston with headlines like Kingston has surrendered on Obamacare.

In Tennessee, state Rep. Joe Carr blasted Sen. Lamar Alexander for serving as a key GOP negotiator in the deal to end the partial government shutdown that resulted from House Republicans efforts to deny funding for the health care law. Alexander subsequently described himself as a conservative problem solver, a characterization that Carr says typifies how out of touch he is.

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Health care law tactics split GOP Senate rivals