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Why the fractured Tea Party movement failed to offer a presidential nominee
Activists agree on whom not to choose, but they haven’t put their own alternative in the race
Thursday, Feb. 2, 2012 | 2 a.m.
Sun coverage
Three years ago, when thousands of angry conservatives from Las Vegas to Carson City formed what would become the tea party movement here, some Republican politicians watched with glee, confident they could harness that passion for their own campaigns.
Others felt like the besieged establishment, frightened of what the anti-establishment masses might do to their re-election efforts — especially when they booed even the most stalwart anti-tax elected officials.
But while the Tea Party in Nevada and elsewhere has had some small successes in local and congressional races, they are now so fractured that nominating a presidential candidate to carry their mantel is all but impossible.
Nevada Tea Party activists and organizers interviewed by the Las Vegas Sun this week all admitted the movement is split among the candidates remaining in the presidential race.
The only consensus seems to be that former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney is not their guy.
“He’s not perceived as the conservative candidate by a lot of people,” said Las Vegas Tea Party organizer Jeri Taylor-Swade.
Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney waves to supporters during his victory celebration after winning the Florida primary election Tuesday, Jan. 31, 2012, in Tampa, Fla.
But that doesn’t mean all Tea Partyers are particularly fond of the alternatives, nor are they settled on naming the “conservative alternative.”
“The conservative vote is split between Rick Santorum and Newt Gingrich,” Taylor-Swade said.
Reno-area Tea Party organizer Richard Disney, however, gave a more brutal assessment of the movement in the presidential race.
“There’s so much infighting,” he said. “Santorum has a lot behind him, but he’s not going to win; everybody knows that. Gingrich has some behind him, but so many people in the Tea Party detest Gingrich. Half hate him and half say he’s more conservative than Romney so they’ll support him.
“Ron Paul, his foreign policy positions make it hard for Tea Partyers to pull the lever for him.”
In fact, Disney, who launched the Tea Party Fund, said he is so dismayed by the field that his fundraising efforts will focus on the U.S. Senate races, “basically, in our opinion, to defend the country against whoever wins the presidency,” Disney said.
Sarah Palin signs her autograph for supporters after a rally to kick off the Tea Party Express bus tour Monday, Oct. 18, 2010, in Reno. Ahead of Saturday's Nevada caucuses, Palin this week reiterated her call for Republican voters to back Newt Gingrich's candidacy in an effort to extend the selection process for the GOP presidential nomination.
Gingrich’s sudden rise among some national Tea Party organizations, and the Tea Party backing that helped see him through South Carolina, surprised many in the movement.
Tea Party darling Sarah Palin, who came to Gingrich’s aid as he made a startling comeback in South Carolina, acknowledged he’s an “imperfect vessel for Tea Party support.”
“But in South Carolina, the Tea Party chose to get behind him instead of the old guard’s choice,” she wrote on her Facebook page.
In Florida, however, Gingrich saw that support erode to the benefit of Romney.
So, how did a former speaker of the House who has supported an individual health care mandate, appeared with Nancy Pelosi in a global warming ad, supported No Child Left Behind and rejected his party’s most extreme positions on illegal immigration earn Tea Party support in the first place?
“I’ve been trying to figure this out, and honestly I have no idea why,” said Eric Odom of Grassfire Nation. “Two years ago, I can’t think of a Tea Party rally that would’ve allowed him to stand on the stage. But I think they are trying to throw a wall against Mitt Romney getting the candidacy, and Newt is this guy who throws punches at the media, so he helps vent some of that frustration the Tea Party has.”
The Romney campaign is working to dispel the notion he’s not conservative enough.
In a conference call with reporters this week, former Sen. Jim Talent used the word repeatedly to describe Romney: “We have a tough conservative leader in Romney. He is running as a reliable conservative leader.”
Those still active in the tea party movement bristle at suggestions from the media that the Tea Party is broken.
Republican presidential candidate former House Speaker Newt Gingrich, left, accompanied by his wife, Callista, gestures during a campaign stop, Monday, Jan. 2, 2012, in Walford, Iowa.
“The Tea Party people are not out holding signs in the street; they are actually working,” Taylor-Swade said. “No, they’re not gone; they are behind the scenes getting things done.”
She said Tea Partyers make up a majority of the volunteers working the caucuses Saturday and are volunteering for the campaigns of the candidates with whom they personally identify.
So, why not organize and work to ensure a Tea Party favorite wins the GOP nomination?
“Because the Tea Party is not a group,” Taylor-Swade said. “It’s individual people who have individual ideas of what they want. We’re not robots. We’re not told what to do.”
But Disney said he believes the Republican establishment has been successful in halting the campaigns of the conservative candidates who earned fleeting bursts of momentum against Romney: U.S. Rep. Michele Bachmann, retired businessman Herman Cain and now, perhaps, Gingrich.
“The Republican establishment are doing their best to dismantle the Tea Party,” Disney said, “and they’re doing a good job, frankly.”
Discussion: 14 comments so far…
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teabaggers are just as clueless as their republican bosses. angle, palin, gingrich, santorum and cain couldnt win office for dog catcher.
Obviously, Damon hasn't a clue as to how the TEA Party works. It is a "bottom-up," not "top-down" assemblage of folks concerned with the direction this nation was going. As a long standing member, supporter and contributor to the TEA Party, I don't need it, or anyone else, deciding things for me. The worst thing the TEA Party can do, in my estimation, is endorse poilitical candidates before the membership (and others) have made the decision as to whom they want as the flag bearer. Sharron Angle was such an error and Conservative Nevadan's suffered because of it. She was the weakest candidate possible to run against Harry the Red. That should never have happened!
There's no such thing as the Tea Party.
All hopes of a true Tea Party candidate vanished when Sarah Palin announced she wasn't running. In fact, her protracted deliberating over whether to run probably harmed the Tea Party's cause more than anything: by the time she announced she wasn't running it was too late for any other solid conservatives to jump into the race.
The Tea Party began as a grassroots movement promoting strict interpretation of the Constitution, reduced government spending, a balanced budget, and tax reform. It was all inclusive, promoting support across the political spectrum. It is now fractured as a result of numerous dot-com organizations who have tweaked the original intent to promote their own agendas and have become just another affiliate of the far right wing of the Republican Party.
The multiple agendas and Conservative identity have disenfranchised millions of bedrock Americans who may vary greatly on social issues but came together to support the original intent and platform of the Tea Party movement.
Signed,
A Disenfranchised Independent.
Sarah Palin says New Gingrich was "imperfect vessel for Tea Party support." She of all people should know what an imperfect vessel looks like.
Annjeanette - As a conservative who supports the ideals of the Tea Party (fiscal conservatism, transparency, accoutability) I will tell you why, in my opinion, the Tea Party has issues. Greed and arrogance of its leaders. An attitude that says "I know best". We all talk of the "bottom up" mentality of the Tea Party but that has become a smoke screen. Look at some of our leading Tea Party groups.
The Tea Part Nation led by Judson Phillips: On a daily basis he has repeatedly hammered Romney (and no I am not a Romney supporter). He doesn't speak of issues. He makes personal attacks such as he's a liar, liberal, Anti-Reagan and will cause the death of conservatism. I have asked him many times what he will do if Romney is the candidate. He will not respond. Those statements he made cannot be backed down from. He will never recover and be able to support Romney. That said - he will support no one and therefore vote for no one. And that will bring 4 more years of Obama. From a conservative perspective, Romney is FAR better than Obama, but Judson doesn't care. It is not "his guy" so he will take his ball and go home.
Then you have a group like the Tea Party Express that is nothing but a front group to raise money for its parent company. They don't care about success, they care about money.
The beauty of the Tea Party Movement it is not one group and allows freedom among the groups. But at the same time the curse of the Tea Party Movement is that it is not one group and allows freedom among the groups.
If the groups don't find a way to create unity and weed out the bad apples ( and arrogance)the Tea Party will have trouble moving forward.
bob3; sounds like the tea party morphed into another wing of the republican party. isnt that the same group that caused you people to form?
I wonder why the Republican party and I guess the Tea Partiers could not come up with viable candidates besides the ones that are running? There HAS to be a better person(s) in the Party better than Romney, Newt and the rest of them to be running. Newt is too weird, Paul is too old, Santorum too religious and Romney seems to ALWAYS be running. Is there NO ONE else?
@ninergold3 Spot on! I posted an anti Tea Party article on TeaPartyNation for discussion. Within minutes I was banned without comment and received no response even after several requests for explanation. Without doubt these organizations are self serving. They are generating hate and discourse that have threatened the existence and unity of the TP Movement.
Comment removed by moderator. Same (or similar) comment posted on multiple stories.
For a party that apparently wants to stress the importance of family values I must admit I am a bit perplexed about the current (and former) slate of candidates. First of all, Cain folded his tent, so to speak, because he was allegedly a serial groper. How does that fit in with family values? And we all know about Newt. How does that fit in with family values? What are family values anyway, or is Sarah Palin the only one that holds the key to that mystery?
I am the tea party, I support Mitt Romney--someone who will cut government spending and streamline the fedGov down to what it's core responsibilities are...just like he did when he turned around bankrupt companies.
If anyone says they speak for the tea party, you know that they have a book to sell or a website to donate to.
the tea party is all about cutting the size of government and freeing up companies to unleash the American entrepreneurial spirit.
Mitt Romney will do that.
Santorum is just getting started, you guys better watch out! In the last CNN debate Jan 26th, Rick easily took Mitt's argument apart piece by piece on RomneyCare. Rick has a depth of knowledge, penetrating insight into our problems, and is very resolved and determined about how to fix those problems. I'm looking for a President who has the right plan to get us the most jobs & pay down the debt. Rick's plan on both counts is more robust & smarter than Mitt's or Newt's. I like that Rick is on good terms with God...We need all the help we can get!
You're right dipstick;
Palin; Governor of Alaska
Gingrich; House Speaker
Santorum; Penn. Senator
Cain; CEO Godfather Pizza.
Couldn't win office as a dogcatcher?
Dennis you can do better than that can't you?
What a joke. The tea party is not a new party at all just a re- branding of the Republican party to rally there base after the devastating losses to the Democrats in the elections from 2006 thru 2008.
Thats true mike but once assembled what happened in 2010?
The tea partiers support Gingrich not because of the policies of his past. Most tea parties hate everything Gingrich stands for, but they like that he has a history of beating up democrats.
Comment removed by moderator. Same (or similar) comment posted on multiple stories.
That's true chuck it worked for the short term 2010 but long term it will be a even bigger hole for the Republican party establishment. It was the citizens united decision that helped the republican party to a $8 to $1 spending advantage over the dems. But when you take into account that the Republican party spent $4 billion and all they got was the house and striking out looking with there #1 target Harry Reid, looks like that cash advantage was wasted. Will see what happens next November, me I think the Republican establishment has shown there cards to early.
You're right about Reid. Spent alot on Angle and that was a bad decision cause she wasn't going to beat him. Still can't figure what you guys see in Reid. 1,000 plus days and no budget. Don't say it can't be done Gingrich did it with Clinton.
chuck; angle, like newt, is finished. we'll be hearing republican sound bites about romney all the way to november spoken by fellow republicans.
Better t be a tea party supporter than a "Occupy" thug supporter.. Obama lovers unite and conquer!! Who needs the law? we are OWS Supporters. We are above the law!
Chuck
I don't see what you guys see in Harry Reid. Is a great example of why (registered independent) I no longer vote Republican. I don't believe that the us versus them mentality that is the Republican mantra is helpful or positive. Them people are still our countrymen our fellow citizens. And as a nation that is facing military and ideological threats from the middle east and economic and potentially military threats from China. This us versus them enemy status of our fellow citizens for political gain is threatening our nations ability to counter these threats. Until the Republican party moderates I will not consider voting for them.
And chuck how can we get a budget out there when we cannot even to agree to pay our bills is a moot argument. And chuck you have been civil and deserving of respect for being so.
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All truth be told, the t-party has been nothing but a farce since its conception and inception by deception.
If we were in the pre-Revolutionary days, these couch potatoes would't have ever gotten out of their comfortable Lazy-Boys and gone down to Boston harbor.
They'd have done little but moan and groan like they do today.
To say their embody ANYTHING that resembles those of that era is pure comical farce.
Thanks Mike as you have been also. I do agree that, at least for me its not the party, its more important that we come to an agreement that we all can live with and help restore our country to the greatness we once had. Whether it be social or economic, we have to work together to right the ship. I only defend the republicans as when I read some of these posts there always seems to be anger and hatred in some people words. Believe me I don't and won't support a politician simply because of party affiliation. Matter of fact during the 08 election I felt that Hilary would have been the best choice for prsident from the candidates that were running for office.
Chuck
Full disclosure, I have on occasion allowed myself to be argumentative. I promise you as long as you are respecful and civil I will reciprocate. And agreed I Hillary Clinton was my first choice also and I did consider voting for john McCain until the Sarah came aboard.