Despite the media's endless, sensationalist coverage of the Tea Party movement, Tea Party-backed candidates haven't fared all that well in the 2010 primary election season. Thus far, the ballot-box influence of the Tea Party has proven overblown and overhyped.
Certainly, a few Tea Party-backed candidates have won political races, most notably Republican Nikki Haley, South Carolina gubernatorial candidate, and Republican Rand Paul, Kentucky candidate for the U.S. Senate.
But the list of beleaguered and defeated Tea Partiers is longer, and includes:
- Republican Todd Tiahrt, senatorial candidate from Kansas, was endorsed by Sarah Palin and strongly supported by Tea Party forces, yet lost in a bitter contest with fellow conservative Rep. Jerry Moran.
- Republican Kelly Ayotte, senatorial candidate from New Hampshire, sought and received a coveted Sarah Palin endorsement, but as a result, promptly saw her voter approval levels tumble.
A Public Policy Polling group survey found that "the Palin endorsement made 51% of voters less likely to back her (Ayotte), while only 26% said that they were more inclined to vote for someone who was endorsed by Sarah Palin. Moderates disliked the endorsement even more..."
- In Michigan, Republican gubernatorial candidate Rick Snyder won convincingly over both Rep. Pete Hoekstra and state Attorney General Mike Cox. Hoekstra joined the new Congressional Tea Party Caucus, reportedly to boost his chances to win this primary race. Cox was openly featured on the Tea Party Express website.
- Republican Peter Schiff, the Tea Party-backed candidate in Connecticut's senatorial race is trailing badly in the polls behind WWE executive Linda McMahon and former Congressman Rob Simmons.
Looniest Tea Party Candidate of 2010
Then there are those fervent Tea Party candidates for whom the limelight has only served to spotlight their uneducated irrationality and... well, sheer nuttiness and dearth of common sense.
Sharron Angle, Nevada's Republican candidate for the U.S. Senate, of course comes to mind. After her suggestion of "Second Amendment remedies" (i.e. guns) as a "cure" for "Harry Reid problems," and her admonition that Democratic governance "is a violation of the First Commandment" (idolatry of government), we probably shouldn't be surprised that she doesn't seem to understand even the basic concept of the role of a free press in democracy.
But believe it or not, Ms. Angle may not be the looniest Tea Party candidate of 2010. That distinction may belong to Colorado Republican gubernatorial candidate Dan Maes, who "is warning voters that Denver Mayor John Hickenlooper's policies, particularly his efforts to boost bike riding, are 'converting Denver into a United Nations community,'" per the Denver Post.The Post explains:
"Maes said in a later interview that he was referring to Denver's membership in the International Council for Local Environmental Initiatives, an international association that promotes sustainable development..."Maes, at the rally July 26, took aim at Denver's bike-sharing program, which he said was promoted by a group that puts the environment above citizens' rights. The B-Cycle program places a network of about 400 red bikes for rent at stations around the city. It is funded by private donors and grants...
" 'At first, I thought, 'Gosh, public transportation, what's wrong with that, and what's wrong with people parking their cars and riding their bikes? And what's wrong with incentives for green cars?' But if you do your homework and research, you realize ICLEI is part of a greater strategy to rein in American cities under a United Nations treaty,' Maes said."
As a side note, my nephew, who lives and works in downtown Denver, tells me that Maes "is a nut," and has been the cause of some of his friends to feel too embarrassed to be a Republican. Further, "That bike program has raised a bunch of money for the city... Plus it is really cool because people don't need a car to get around now." Colorado primary elections will be held on August 10th.
Overblown, Overhyped
The political oddity of this moment is that, if a citizen merely listens to cable TV news, he/she would think that the Tea Party movement is wielding great influence over election outcomes, and that Tea Party-backed candidates are taking over Congress and our state capitols.
Reality is that while the colorful Tea Party movement is terrific at dominating broadcast news coverage, and while news broadcasters are apparently gullible and sensationalist enough to fill a disproportionate amount of airtime with Tea Partier antics... Tea Party candidates are losing many more elections than they're winning in 2010.
The influence of the Tea Party is overblown and overhyped.
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Comments
I think you’re right, Deborah. Under bright lights most voters see the difference between goofy thinking and reason. The Tea Party phenomenon reminds me of the “vent” columns in local newspapers. They actually print some pretty stupid stuff about everything from potholes to rude people in line at the grocery store. I think that’s the appeal of Palin. Her word salads are the trail mix of vent columns.
(Notice how Wendy’s makes the same product into “Baja,” “Spicey Shicken,” “BLT Cobb” or “Apple Pecan Chicken” Salads by sprinkling a few different ingredients over the top. Same idea.)
Deborah –
You are correct. Even in Last night’s Tennessee primary, every Tea Party endorsed candidate lost. However, it doesn’t matter.
When the Tea Party candidate loses, as in the solid Republican Congressional district of NY-23, and a Democrat wins, the cry is,”At least we got rid of a RINO.” When the Tea Party candidate wins, as in Scott Brown in Massachusetts, it is because of the Tea Party. And only the Tea Party.
The slightest Tea Party victory will be trumpeted from the roof tops, via the Fox News megaphone. Rand Paul has a shot to be the new Tea Party poster boy.
BTW, I do find it amusing that Scott Brown snubbed Sarah Palin and voted for the financial reform package. He’s not as liberal a Republican as Snowe and Collins, but he’s close. The Tea Party are threatening to run a candidate against the ungrateful wretch. If I lived in Massachusetts, I might have to vote for him.
It’s a bit early and shortsighted to draw too many conclusions with respect to the tea party’s influence – the election is still 3 months away. You must acknowledge that the success by individual candidates in the current electoral process is highly dependent on the infrastructure of the two major parties, something the tea party by its nature lacks. More relevant will be how it affects turnout.
Journalists like this one that either do not do their homework or intentionally spin (lie) should not be paid for their offerings! This offering is blog material at best as the Tea Party Express is NOT the Tea Party. The Tea Party Express is licensed through the Republican party and is trying to ride the tea Party wave. Tea Party membership is aware of this issue. A responsible journalist would have made note of that fact and told the real story. You are not that caliber of journalist!