Tea Party Conservatives Turn on GOP Candidates
David Sessions
Washington Reporter
Posted:
10/12/09
The grassroots anti-tax, anti-government movement sweeping through Republicans nationwide is proving a thorn in the side of the national party as the loose coalition known as "tea partiers" or "tea party protesters" draft guerrilla candidates to take on GOP-approved incumbents. "We will be a headache for anyone who believes the Constitution of the United States ... isn't to be protected," said Dick Armey, the leader of the tea-party-planning group FreedomWorks in a Monday Politico story on the phenomenon.
In Florida, tea party activist are defying GOP wishes by supporting House Speaker Marco Rubio over centrist incumbent Gov. Charlie Crist. Conservative groups have been crusading against Crist ever since he supported President Obama's bailout and stimulus packages, which they see as dramatic advances in government spending. Tea partiers are also opposing GOP-backed Senate candidates in California, Colorado and Connecticut. The activists say they are hoping to punish the Republican Party for refusing to abide by a small-government, anti-tax philosophy.
Tea Partiers Turn On GOP Leadership [Politico]
In Florida, tea party activist are defying GOP wishes by supporting House Speaker Marco Rubio over centrist incumbent Gov. Charlie Crist. Conservative groups have been crusading against Crist ever since he supported President Obama's bailout and stimulus packages, which they see as dramatic advances in government spending. Tea partiers are also opposing GOP-backed Senate candidates in California, Colorado and Connecticut. The activists say they are hoping to punish the Republican Party for refusing to abide by a small-government, anti-tax philosophy.
Tea Partiers Turn On GOP Leadership [Politico]