Walter, you have to understand that support for "free" trade is a losing issue, that is one reason why Bush is not doing as well as he should against Kerry, and De Mints support for "free" Trade will hurt him among working class conservatives.
I have no problem with some protectionism, because it is in many ways, a defense of the borders of the US, the likes of DeMint support the sending of jobs and technology to red China. My hope with a Bush loss, the "free" trade elemnets will exit the party.
Great, so the working class will be making $15 an hour labouring in some factory, instead of $10 an hour in some office or restaurant, and the net result is everything costs the consumer (me) twice as much.
But while I find the economics disturbing, I have to admit protectionism tends to win over the simpler sort of voter.