a close ally of House Speaker John Boehner, R-Ohio. The Tea Party-linked FreedomWorks for America and the anti-tax Club for Growth are supporting Smith in the May 20 primary.

The warring factions have coalesced around other Senate candidates in several upcoming contests.

In Alaska's Senate race, for instance, Crossroads, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and Club for Growth all support former state attorney general Daniel Sullivan over Lt. Gov. Mead Treadwell and Joe Miller, who won the party's 2010 GOP nomination with Tea Party support. That primary is Aug. 18.

In Arkansas' May 20 primary, Crossroads and the Club for Growth groups agree on Rep. Tom Cotton, who has strong ties to both the GOP leadership and Tea Party activists. Cotton hopes to oust Sen. Mark Pryor, one of the Senate'smost vulnerable Democratic incumbents, in the general election.

The party infighting has been tempered by the successful recruitment of candidates with broad appeal, Crossroads' Law said. He cited the Colorado Senate contest, where Rep. Cory Gardner's decision to challenge Democratic Sen. Mark Udall pushed Tea Party-aligned Ken Buck out of the race.

Buck, the GOP's 2010 Senate nominee in Colorado, now is running for Gardner's House seat.

The Club for Growth has infuriated party leaders in recent elections by backing insurgent GOP candidates such as Richard Mourdock, who ousted veteran Sen. Dick Lugar, R-Ind. Mourdock went on to lose the general election after saying pregnancy caused by rape was "something God intended."

Club spokesman Barney Keller said the group's support of several pro-establishment candidates this year is not necessarily a sign of