The last election cycle the Tea Party dominated media coverage and ballot results. This year, the movement appears a shell of itself; failing to bring a strongly Tea Party-backed presidential candidate far in the GOP primary, fractioning endorsements from Tea Party legislators to Tea Party candidates, and having little to show in terms of policy from the class of freshman Republicans in Congress that road the Tea Party to office in 2010. While Tea Party candidates may have “establishment” senators in tough primary battles in Utah with Sen. Orrin Hatch and Indiana with Sen. Dick Lugar, the incumbents have received support from GOP legislators who have previously been sympathetic to the Tea Party cause, like House Majority Leader Rep. Eric Cantor announcing support for Lugar.
Brendan Steinhauser of FreedomWorks joined “Real News” Thursday to discuss the status of the Tea Party, and the movement’s fight against the establishment in 2012.
“When you look at the national strategy there are some great opportunities to get Tea Party candidates, serious people like Ted Cruz here in Texas, like Richard Mourdock in Indiana, Dan Liljenquist in Utah,” Steinhauser said. “We have a real opportunity there to trade up, and I think that folks are engaged in that.”
When asked by S.E. Cupp why the Lugar/Mourdock race in Indiana has captured national attention, Steinhauser said because it is a chance to show the media that the Tea Party is not dead.
“It’s alive and well, and it has the capability and the motivation to make a big impact on our politics still,” said Steinhauser of the Tea Party.
Submitting your tip... please wait!
Marc Conder
May. 9, 2012 at 4:06pmI find the tea party Movement to be alot further down the line when it comes to the rules of the old game played in these United States. As a life long conservative, I knew the press was uniformly liberal, the people in office have a tremendous advatange when defending their position. What neither the press seems to be aware of, nor the people in power, is that this movement, inspite of the tales of our demise from the press, is alive and well in America. I speak now only from my own awarness. In 2010, San Antonio Texas had perhaps10-12 tea party ‘groups, today, over a thousand. Where we met once a month at a local british pub, we now meet in halls and auditoriums. Our work today is now getting routes for the general election, organizing drivers with people to transport to the polls, training our poll watchers, judges and election volunteers to be aware of people who claim to live in a given district……but no one reconizes them?? Military ballots must now be sent out months here before the election, all thanks to votes made by our new political action group. There will be no ‘black panthers’ allowed anywhere near our polling places, nor any illegal activists who promote illegals voting. we, The tea party movement are doing our very best to insure all state citizens can vote, and do vote in November of this year. ABO 2012!
Report this comment
glenbeckisagit
May. 5, 2012 at 4:39amSo, this is what passes for “Real” news from a guy who was fired from a company that won the right to lie and call it news. Hmm…
Report this comment
Trading_barracuda
May. 5, 2012 at 1:48amhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TvQaKtBotRc&feature=watch_response_rev
*** God Damn – Ron Paul ***
Report this comment
Richard Compton
May. 4, 2012 at 11:41amIt’s time to clean house, the majority of those serving in the House of Represenatives and the Senate are the ones who have contributed to the debackle we now find ourselves in. It’s time to put them out and elect new lawmakers one’s who will pass term limits, ones who understand that it’s a priviage to serve the people in Washington. That serving is no a career as it has been turned into by lifetime polititians. If we continue to reelect the ones who got us here why should we them to change? The defination of insanity is to do the same thing over and over and expect different results. So if we elcet the same people who have brought to the edge of the cliff, why would we expect them to not push us over that cliff?
Report this comment
Liberty Lakeland
May. 4, 2012 at 10:41amLets see how many people show up Sunday on the steps of the Texas Capitol to her Rand an Ron Paul.
http://www.ronpaul2012.com/2012/04/29/ron-paul-at-texas-state-capitol-rally/
Report this comment
chdorb
May. 4, 2012 at 10:31amStates are under attack we (the Tea Party) are not nearly as well funded as the socialist/marxist/communist/islamist left so we must put our assets to the best use possible. If Obama cheats his way into another term we will need good conservative candidates in the majority in congress to keep him from making this the socialist/marxist/communist/islamist nation he intends to make it. As for supporting Romney. He was not my choice, but neither were any of the others. I wanted Rubio or West, but you see they didn’t run. So what will I do? I will support Romney, put his bumper stickers on my car, place his sign in my yard and anything else I can do to see that the anti-Christ is not elected again.
Report this comment
Abraham Young
May. 4, 2012 at 7:27amhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bfTSYe72KsI&feature=youtu.be
Report this comment
Stuck_in_CA
May. 4, 2012 at 7:45amhttp://www.americanthinker.com/2012/05/rubio_and_birthright_citizenship.html
Report this comment
Hatcher
May. 4, 2012 at 2:54amTea Party dead? or Dying?….NO WAY, NOT GOING TO HAPPEN…That would require a drastic decrease in the federal government for us to go away. IF need be, we will occupy occupy!! AS FOR TEA PARTY PATRIOTS, we think we have to paint a picture that people can understand (Founders’ utopian vision of federalism and republicanism, not the socialist utopian vision that many find so attractive.) , then they would support the repeal of the 14th, 16th, and 17th Amendments. We must simplify our message and explain our vision and dreams of America, IMO.
Report this comment
liannemr
May. 3, 2012 at 11:51pmIn 2010, I worked in Rhode Island with the Tea Party there and saw an unprecedented success with grassroots Tea Party candidates. This cycle, I am back home in Texas where I am managing not one, not two, not three but an entire coalition of Tea Party candidates running races from local Party chair to a Congressional campaign. Coming home, I was excited about working with the GOP to ensure a fair and equitable primary season to the General Election in November. What I have found is I spend most of my time fighting the “pay for play” establishment GOP power cronies who think it’s appropriate to raise half a million dollar for a seat that pays only 7,200.00 a year. The viciousness has simply blown my mind but when I get discouraged, I just look at the Clear Lake Tea Party who is supportive of not only their “tea party” candidates but all conservative candidates. Watching the office headquarters and the volunteers who give their time simply inspires me. Who says the tea party is dead? I’ve got a few things to show them :)
Report this comment
tab25
May. 3, 2012 at 11:27pmI love the Blaze, and Glenn is great but everyone I talk to is like Ron Paul! Ron Paul! Ron Paul! or nuttin’ at all. Just got elected precinct delegate and heading to the convention tonight. No way I’m helping Mittens the tax cheating plutocrat get into office. Conservatives need to wake up soon to this set-up going on. Kolab can wait but America cannot!
Report this comment
Mr. Oshawott
May. 3, 2012 at 11:33pm@Tab25
Congratulations on being elected as a delegate. Good luck at the convention!
Report this comment
Mr. Oshawott
May. 3, 2012 at 11:07pm“…The Tea Party vs. the Establishment 2012″
I don’t see how this title would be the slightest bit befitting, as the neo-conservatives have hijacked the Tea Party movement in 2009, two years after it was started under Ron Paul; hence, the movement has drifted away from the principles of limited government, the Constitution, and fiscal restraint and blindly moved towards “social conservatism,” warmongering, and meaningless political grandstanding. In summarization, the Tea Party movement is long DEAD.
Source: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CEyJpGpiikM
Report this comment
PrfctlyFrank
May. 3, 2012 at 10:34pmThe TEA Party is gone? Why? Because the press says so? The Tea Party will let its presence be known at the right time..
Report this comment
JP4JOY
May. 3, 2012 at 10:26pmI have the feeling that lots of TEA ideologues are biding their time, talking to people and getting their ducks in a row for this election. Consider this of the eligible voters (55% of population) only 50-60% actually vote. That amounts to 25-30% of the general population. If we are split about 50-50 GOP/DEM that means about 12-15% of population for either party. Most elections only have 4% spread win/lose which works out to way less than 1% of the population actually decides the outcome of the national election. Get your friends out and make sure they vote. (If I was a LIB I’d add “early and often”)
Report this comment
OlefromMN
May. 3, 2012 at 10:47pmGreat math and it ties with my local issues comment. The Tea Party (in it’s true meaning) can not affect elections held outside of their district. If the media wants a result, they will have to wait until after the general election in Nov. If Barry somehow winds up still in power, then the Tea Party failed (pay close attention to that statement Ron Paul supporters. Write-in votes go to Barry)
Report this comment
American Soldier (Separated)
May. 3, 2012 at 11:35pmI still don’t understand the logic in blaming us Ron Paul supporters if Romney loses. If Romney does lose, in any way other than a complete land slide, it proves us Ron Paul supporters correct: You should have nominated Ron Paul.
Report this comment
Snowleopard {gallery of cat folks}
May. 3, 2012 at 10:23pmLet 2012 mark the next round in freeing the nation from the old DC guard and the Progressives once and for all.
Report this comment
justangry
May. 3, 2012 at 10:34pmI thought you were a Romney supporter?
Report this comment
kspatriot
May. 3, 2012 at 10:19pm***The ONLY REAL Tea Party Candidate is Ron Paul. He would have easily won the nomination if it weren’t for the “Establishment Media” (sorry to say the Blaze now fits into that catagory). Ron Paul’s campaign was literally “blacked out” by most media outlets and the only coverage that was given him was to negatively attack and smear him with lies and inuendo. To this day Ron Paul is drawing crowds of 5,000+ people most everywhere he goes, yet “crickets” from the media, including The Blaze. He has most likely won at least 4 states and may get to the 5 needed to be eligible for nomination at the Republican Convention. He could still win this thing, but you’d never know it by the media, including The Blaze. The most honest reporting out there is Reality Check with Ben Swann http://youtu.be/347BJLhZkE4
Report this comment
ImMormon
May. 4, 2012 at 2:27pmI took part in our caucas and was elected as a state delegate. There are 2000 precincts in our state, all run by the actual neighborhood. Now I am not justifying what happened in this video, but that is ONE precinct in thousands that this happened in. You can’t make the generalization that this is happening across the country and you cannot also jump to the assumption that the “Establishment” is behind it. The caucas’s are run by actual residents of the neighborhoods. Surely some are going to go array!
Now, that precinct event aside… all of these delegates that are chosen for the state are bound to cast their first round vote via the results of the states primary. If in the first round Romney reaches the 1144 delegates needed the voting is over… if he does not reach the 1144, then a second round of voting ensues when the delegates are then not bound by the states results and can vote for whomever they desire. This is called a brokered convention. The chance of a brokered convention is slim to none. Romney will have far beyond the 1144 delegates needed in the first round, via the results of the primary state election.
Your points you bring up may be true in the smallest of instances, which is bound to happen with a citizen run primary… but 99% of the rest of the precinct votes were counted and the rules were followed. Your point may be valid, but it is moot because of the assumptions that this happens at every caucus and every precinct.
Report this comment
kspatriot
May. 3, 2012 at 10:10pmThe ONLY REAL Tea Party Candidate is Ron Paul. He would have easily won the nomination if it weren’t for the “Establishment Media” (sorry to say the Blaze now fits into that catagory). Ron Paul’s campaign was literally “blacked out” by most media outlets and the only coverage that was given him was to negatively attack and smear him with lies and inuendo. To this day Ron Paul is drawing crowds of 5,000+ people most everywhere he goes, yet “crickets” from the media, including The Blaze. He has most likely won at least 4 states and may get to the 5 needed to be eligible for nomination at the Republican Convention. He could still win this thing, but you’d never know it by the media, including The Blaze. The most honest reporting out there is Reality Check with Ben Swann http://youtu.be/347BJLhZkE4
Report this comment
OlefromMN
May. 3, 2012 at 10:06pmMaybe if somebody would actually pay attention to what the Tea Party actually is, they would realize it is more localized than is being portrayed. Hatch and Lugar are local elections that I have no say in. My guy (John Kline) is a solid guy that will need to be supported in this election, yet maybe moved out in the next. Pete Hegseth is a strong challenger to our state’s toughest Senator (Amy Klobuchar) who is a media darling and has her daddy’s name pulling her along (he was a big newspaper guy in a state with basically 2). Pete will have a good shot in an uphill battle.
The media wants flash and sparks from the Tea Party. We are smarter than that.
Report this comment
justangry
May. 3, 2012 at 10:00pmWhere does the Tea Party stand on civil liberties? I thought they were for them when Ron Paul started it. Now, they’re not mentioned.
Report this comment
Individualism
May. 3, 2012 at 9:38pmThe Tea Party is taken over by Neo Cons, its Ron Paul supporting freedom fighters against the establishment. it might not be 2012, 2016 maybe or it might just be a frency style revolution where the elite get whats coming to them.
Report this comment
joe conservative
May. 3, 2012 at 10:07pmYour comment is beyond uninformed, it’s ignorant. I just got back from a tea party rally full of Ron Paul supporters. Are they neo cons? Or you you just a “special” type of Ron Paul supporter? I’m sure they would have loved to discuss your comment with you. Geez!
Report this comment
justangry
May. 3, 2012 at 10:22pm@Joe, That’s encouraging. Being uninformed is a consequence of a poor media, however. They keep talking about all the Tea Party sellouts from the 2010 class, and blackout everything Paul.
Report this comment
joe conservative
May. 3, 2012 at 10:29pm@justangry – I hear you about the media, but I also think people need to think before they just repeat anything they hear in the meida, including this site. I was with several Ron Paul people tonight. They weren’t neo cons, they were just good people with many of the same goals as the conservatives that were there. Just before I left for the rally I was in a discussion online with someone telling me that the tea party didn’t exist anymore. 20 minutes later I was at a tea party rally. Even this article on the blaze is misleading. It gets frustrating. Take care.
Report this comment
Individualism
May. 4, 2012 at 9:30amso hopefully the tea party can be taken back by them but that still doesn’t change the fact the tea party backed neo con candidates and is even considering to back Romney.
Report this comment
blackyb
May. 3, 2012 at 9:36pmRick Santorum would have been a good President. If a man is not a good Christian he cannot serve this country in the way the Constitution was meant to be upheld and respected. This Constitution was based not upon the whims of mankind, but on the very principals and Truth of the Holy Bible. It takes a man of understanding to distinguish the Truth. We should not let infidels, heathens, hollywood, or those who make lite of the Bible or the principals therein lead this country. It is too important to have less than someone who has true understanding of the Bible and the Constitution and can read and understand both. This is not a country where we need to divide our principals to please other ethnics or live by their cultures. They came here. They need to assimilate or leave. A man cannot serve two masters, either he will leave one and serve the other and end up hating both. A man of a double mind and spirit is useless.
Report this comment
Baddoggy
May. 3, 2012 at 9:44pmSantorum would have been legislating like a FACIST. I am a Christian, I do not want my faith legislated….He would have been HORRIBLE for our Nation. A good man, not Presidential material. OMA is stupid. It puts the Government in control of Marriage where the Church should be in control…Fasism…call it what it is…
Report this comment
Smokey_Bojangles
May. 3, 2012 at 9:33pmThe Tea Party was sold out in 2010 by the ones we elected. We need to be sure no one repeats.Well.Maybe 1 didn’t sell out the Tea Party….and it was not Allen West.
Report this comment
justangry
May. 3, 2012 at 10:39pmYeah, they did turn quickly. I REALLY hope that they go down when they’re up for reelection. They almost have to in order to send a very clear message. It would certainly establish the Tea Party’s legitimacy and staying power.
Report this comment
helpsavethepeople
May. 3, 2012 at 9:28pmWe can especially win locally. I was elected with 42 votes, became a school board member. Voted mostly NO.
Report this comment
soybomb315
May. 3, 2012 at 9:40pmdid they call you ‘citizen NO’?
Report this comment
helpsavethepeople
May. 3, 2012 at 9:43pmThey laughed at me, because I was always the only NO vote for anything fishy.
Report this comment
soybomb315
May. 3, 2012 at 9:53pmwell done. spread the word
Report this comment
suedstate
May. 3, 2012 at 9:27pmSSSHHH!!! We want to hit them under the radar, 2010 X10
Report this comment
soybomb315
May. 3, 2012 at 9:23pmwe got boehner and mcconell as leaders of the republican party….if romney is the nominee, the whole tea party movement was a failture
Report this comment
RJJinGadsden
May. 3, 2012 at 9:40pmI look at the Tea Party as still new, and we’ll have to give it time as well our own efforts for it to flourish. We can’t give up any time soon.
Report this comment
soybomb315
May. 3, 2012 at 9:48pmmaybe. its not like we have much time though
Report this comment
KC1
May. 3, 2012 at 10:04pmSpot on 315, Romney will keep spending. What gets me are all these so called tea party constitutionalists that have no problem voting for him. He may be the lesser of two evils, but not by much.
Report this comment