From U.S. News and World Report: The Decline and Fade of the Tea Party
Remember the Tea Party? It was all the rage back in ’10, inspiring fear in establishment Republicans and loathing in Democrats. The movement became the conservative face of voter anger, taking down incumbents and party favorites in primary after primary.
And, quotes of note…
Indeed, experience with the Tea Party has turned voters off. Jennifer Duffy, a senior editor at the Cook Political Report, argues that a large number of Republicans who cast anti-establishment, Tea Party votes regret their decision, thanks to the likes of Christine O’Donnell and, one supposes, the debt ceiling fiasco. That kind of hindsight is one reason for the Tea Party’s diminished status.
Closer home…
Even in places like Virginia and Texas, where the movement has lined up behind single candidates, they face tough sledding. Virginia Tea Party activist Jamie Radtke is getting little traction against George Allen, a former governor and senator.
Is it lights out for the Tea Party? When here at home they’re spending time fighting with Richmond City Council that may be a legitimate question.
Seriously, where are the recent Tea Party victories? Jamie Radtke spends every waking moment attacking George Allen and gets no traction. In fact, Allen recently released a list of his own Tea Party supporters.
I might add that we pointed some of this out to you back in March.
Maybe the Tea Party isn’t over. Maybe it’s just resting.
Or maybe, just maybe, it’s gone the way we prefer our tea here in the South…Iced.
