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As Washington Is Scandalized, The Tea Party Salivates

Beth Reinhard | May 14, 2013

The swirl of Washington scandal offers the movement a kind of “I-told-you-so” bragging rights.

Play of the Day: Targeting the Tea Party

May 14, 2013

The IRS scandal shows what government can do when its puts its mind to something.

Tea Party Victims Detail Intimidation, Claim Vindication

Michael Catalini | May 17, 2013

The tax collector's actions confirm the worst fears of conservatives.

Tea Party Hopes for a Peachy 2014 in Georgia

Shane Goldmacher | May 2, 2013

Three open House races and an open Senate seat make Georgia one of the nation’s best opportunities.

Why the IRS Abruptly Apologized to the Tea Party

Connor Simpson - The Atlantic Wire | May 12, 2013

It came as a surprise when the Internal Revenue Service apologized, seemingly out of the blue, to a number of Tea Party groups for unfairly scrutinizing their tax exempt status on Friday. Now we know why the apology came when it did.

Ohio Tea Party Groups Considering GOP Insurrection

Alex Brown | May 6, 2013

The Ohio tea party's fracturing of the state GOP could be a serious worry, we noted last Friday, if the harsh rhetoric is followed by real action. Today, a report in the Columbus Dispatch shows just how bad things have gotten in the Buckeye State. Tea party groups, writes Joe Hallett, are consideri...

Tea Party Groups Clash With Kasich in Ohio

Alex Brown | May 3, 2013

Ask an Ohio Democrat about Gov. John Kasich and you'll likely hear him described as a partisan bully who caters to the extreme wing of his party with legislation that punishes the middle class. Ask a member of the Tea Party and you'll probably hear a different story. Kasich, say some conservative ac...

Taming the Tea Party on Immigration

Fawn Johnson | January 30, 2013

Tea party conservatives are not going to throw themselves on their swords over immigration. The ruby-red conservatives want to wait and see.

Seeking a Bigger Audience, Tea-Party Hero Embraces Immigration Reform

Beth Reinhard | March 20, 2013

Rand Paul suppports legalizing undocumented immigrants, signaling an interest to expand his following beyond the tea party movement.

Why the Tea Party Lives On

Michael Hirsh | January 2, 2013

Crazies. Cliff divers. Nihilists. Nutjobs. Those are just a few of the descriptions being applied to the 151 House Republicans who broke with Speaker John Boehner—they included his own supposed wing men, House Majority Leader Eric Cantor and Whip Kevin McCarthy—to vote against the fiscal cliff deal Tuesday night.

Who Is Mitch McConnell's Mystery Tea-Party Rival?

Michael Catalini | February 20, 2013

It was only weeks ago when tea-party hero Sen. Rand Paul of Kentucky said he wasn't aware of any challenge from the right to his senior colleague, Republican Leader Mitch McConnell.

Republican Diversity Fueled by Tea Party

Josh Kraushaar | December 17, 2012

For those Republicans believing the tea party is responsible for the GOP's struggles, South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley’s decision to choose Rep. Tim Scott to replace Jim DeMint in the Senate would have come as a stunner. The nation’s second Indian-American governor appointed the only African-American who will be serving in the Senate come 2013. And not only are they both Republicans, they are tea party-aligned conservatives who took on the party establishment and won.

Tea Party the Fuel Behind GOP Diversity

Josh Kraushaar | December 17, 2012

The story behind South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley naming Rep. Tim Scott to replace Jim DeMint in the Senate is that they are both tea party-aligned conservatives who took on the Republican establishment and won.

Tea Party Victory: Latham Won't Run for Senate in Iowa

Alex Brown and Alex Roarty | February 27, 2013

Rep. Tom Latham, R-Iowa, has decided not to run for the Senate seat being vacated by retiring Democratic Sen. Tom Harkin, he told supporters in an email on Wednesday. With Latham out, Rep. Steve King, R-Iowa, becomes the center of attention in a race that has become a flashpoint in the fight over th...

Republican Congressman Faces Tea Party Wrath for Flying Air Force One

Beth Reinhard | February 27, 2013

Scott Rigell's desire to compromise on sequester makes him an outlier within the GOP.

Tea Party Favorite Becomes Sole African-American in Senate

Rosa Ramirez | December 17, 2012

Freshman Republican Rep. Tim Scott, who will replace retiring GOP Sen. Jim DeMint, is poised to become the only black senator and the first from the South since Reconstruction.

The Tea Party Takes Out Another GOP Senator

Michael Catalini | January 25, 2013

The Tea Party gets its latest scalp: Georgia Sen. Saxby Chambliss.

How the Tea Party Raised Taxes

Matthew Cooper | January 2, 2013

The great irony of the fiscal-cliff deal: The tea party forced the tax hike.

News Roundup: Armey Resigns from Tea Party Group

Michael Catalini | December 4, 2012

Former House Majority Leader Dick Armey resigned as chairman of the tea party group FreedomWorks, Mother Jones reports.

LaTourette: Tea Party Would Not Have Backed Reagan

Ben Schreckinger | November 9, 2012

Ohio Republican Rep. Steve LaTourette stuck to his criticism of the Tea Party Friday, saying former president Ronald Reagan would not have had their support.

Why Mitch McConnell Is Safe From Tea Party Opposition

Michael Catalini | January 4, 2013

McConnell's tireless work protecting his conservative flank back home played an underappreciated role in allowing him to cut a fiscal-cliff compromise with Vice President Joe Biden that has earned him sharp criticism from the Right.

John Boehner on Track to be Reelected, Despite Rumors of a Tea Party Coup

Billy House | January 2, 2013

Successful rebellions require leaders. That’s why the recent talk about some House conservatives conniving to wrest the speaker’s gavel from John Boehner now appears headed nowhere—and why even Boehner’s detractors say that he will be reelected when the new Congress convenes on Thursday.

In Connecticut, Republican Candidate Not So Eager to Tea Party

Billy House | September 27, 2012

The Republican candidate for an open congressional seat in Connecticut says he is being shamefully maligned by a Democratic ad trying to link him to GOP leadership in Washington.

On Education, GOP Distances Itself From Tea Party

Fawn Johnson | August 29, 2012

The Republican National Committee’s platform on education contains a lot of tea party buzzwords: abstinence, English-first, homeschooling, vouchers, local control. But the document also shows signs that the GOP is willing to embrace some type of benchmarking (that is, regulation) for public schools. The platform talks about “accountability,” “higher expectations for all students,” and options for students in failing schools. It’s a far cry from eliminating the Education Department.

Cruz: Tea Party Wave Will Grow in 2012

Alex Roarty | August 5, 2012

Ted Cruz, the Texas tea party favorite who last week became the latest conservative candidate to win an upset in a U.S. Senate primary, argued on Sunday that the wave that propelled tea party hopefuls in 2010 will grow only bigger until career members of both parties cut government spending.

Tommy Thompson's Tea Party Toil

Kevin Brennan | June 25, 2012

Former Wisconsin Gov. Tommy Thompson sits atop the polls in Wisconsin's Senate race, but he doesn't seem to be in any rush to get in the good graces of Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell.

Tea Party Takeover

Josh Kraushaar | May 15, 2012

For those who think Sen. Richard Lugar’s defeat was primarily attributable to running a weak campaign or for living outside of Indiana for decades, I’ve got one number in dissent: 38 percent. That’s the shockingly low percentage of the vote the six-term senator won this month, with a margin of defeat larger than any other senator in a primary over the past three decades. That’s a 2006 Rick Santorum-like loss, for a politician who had been accustomed to coasting to landslide victories. It suggests that even if Lugar had run a top-notch campaign, he would have been susceptible to forces outside of his control: a Republican electorate looking for new faces and more-outspoken conservative leadership.

A Tea Party Leader Ends Up in Romney-Land

Major Garrett | August 28, 2012

“Of course people are going to do half-assed, crazy, stupid things.”

How to Beat a Tea Party Freshman in a Primary Race

Ben Terris | August 21, 2012

What happens when one of the fiercest tea party freshmen loses in a member-member primary? In the case of Florida Rep. Sandy Adams, she starts to talk a bit like a proponent of campaign finance reform.

The Tea Party's Moment

Sean Sullivan | May 1, 2012

The Tea Party movement shook up the Congressional campaign landscape in 2010, electing a slew of unconventional candidates, pushing Republican candidates rightward, all while upsetting a few establishment favorites in the process.

Ted Cruz: Tea Party Barometer

Sean Sullivan | May 16, 2012

Newly-minted Republican Senate nominees Deb Fischer and Richard Mourdock both engineered seismic primary upsets this month, taking down candidates supported by the GOP establishment. But there's still a heated debate on what's largely responsible for the insurgents' victories. On one side is an argument that local issues, parochial relationships and the merits of the campaigns and candidates are largely responsible. On the other, an argument that anti-establishment furor is fueling underdog campaigns.

Romney's Tea Party Test: Who Will Speak at His Convention?

Naureen Khan | July 23, 2012

If the tea party was putting on the Republican National Convention next month in Tampa, the lineup might look like this: former vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin, Rep. Michele Bachmann of Minnesota, Rep. Allen West of Florida, former presidential contender and all-around firecracker Herman Cain, and maybe even Rick Santorum, the former senator and onetime thorn in Mitt Romney’s side.

Hatch Favored in Primary, But Faces Tea Party Test

Sean Sullivan and Julie Sobel | April 21, 2012

For Sen. Orrin Hatch, R-Utah, almost was not quite good enough on Saturday. By the slimmest of margins, the sixth-term senator, who seized all of the momentum in the GOP primary the last two months, failed to seal the deal at the state Republican convention, leaving him with the task of campaignin...

Hatch Favored in Primary, But Faces Tea Party Test

Sean Sullivan and Julie Sobel | April 21, 2012

By the slimmest of margins, the sixth-term senator failed to seal the deal at the state Republican convention, leaving him with the task of campaigning for two more months in a one-on-one race against former state Sen. Dan Liljenquist.

New Poll Shows Tea Party Support Declining

National Journal Staff | April 15, 2012

Less than 18 months after it helped give Republicans control of the House, the tea party movement finds itself losing popular support, according to a new ABC News/Washington Post poll.

Romney's Tea Party Recovery

Ronald Brownstein | December 19, 2011

Mitt Romney has pulled into a tie with Newt Gingrich in the latest CNN/ORC national poll on the strength of gains with both wings of the Republican Party. Both men polled at 28 percent support overall in the survey. When Gingrich rocketed to the top of the GOP primary polls last month, he did so mo...

Tea Party Bites Bachmann

Sarah Huisenga | October 27, 2011

Michele Bachmann, founder of the tea party caucus in the House, is under attack from another movement activist.

4 Races Presenting Tea Party With Biggest Tests—PICTURES

National Journal Staff | May 1, 2012

The Tea Party's Surprise

Kevin Brennan and Sean Sullivan | October 21, 2011

From our piece in this week's National Journal magazine:

Romney's Tea Party Firewall in Iowa

Beth Reinhard | November 16, 2011

Republican frontrunner Mitt Romney remains at the top of the polls in Iowa and many of his more tea-party friendly rivals are struggling to overcome major campaign gaffes. Eventually, those tea party activists will come around to Romney in their zeal to defeat President Obama, right? "Ahhh no,'' sai...

Mitt Romney's Tea Party

Chris Good, The Atlantic | September 2, 2011

Until now, former Massachusetts governor Mitt Romney was the only Republican presidential candidate, with the exception of former Utah governor Jon Huntsman, to show virtually no interest in the tea party since its inception.

Tea Party Debate, Minus Hoekstra

Sean Sullivan | November 15, 2011

Five Republican Senate candidates will participate in a debate in Richland, Michigan hosted by a tea party group on Saturday. But missing from the roster of expected attendees is former Rep. Pete Hoekstra.

Tea Party Express's Steelman Endorsement Angers Local Groups

Sean Sullivan | March 23, 2012

There are shades of Nebraska in Missouri, where the Tea Party Express's endorsement of former Treasurer Sarah Steelman has angered local conservative activists. The St. Louis Beacon:

The Tea Party’s Surprise

Kevin Brennan and Sean Sullivan | October 20, 2011

The conservative movement has helped elect blacks and Hispanics who faced resistance from the Republican establishment.

Tea Party Governor is Backing Net Sales Tax Bill

Juliana Gruenwald | March 20, 2012

Supporters of legislation that would require online retailers to collect sales taxes from customers in states where those firms have no store or other facility have some high-profile support from a leading Tea Party figure.

Tea Party Favorite Next in Line for Top GOP Spot on Commerce

Juliana Gruenwald | March 2, 2012

With the retirement of Sen. Olympia Snowe, R-Maine, Sen. Jim DeMint of South Carolina is in line to take the top Republican spot on the Commerce Committee next year. Seen as a staunch conservative and leading tea party figure in the Senate, DeMint is less known for his work on tech and telecom issues.

Poll: Gingrich Riding Tea Party Support in Iowa

Steven Shepard | December 6, 2011

Foir the fourth time in three days, a major survey shows former House Speaker Newt Gingrich ahead in Iowa—and this one shows that the tea party is fuelling his rise.

In Conservative Districts, Tea Party Losing Support

Sean Sullivan | November 29, 2011

A new Pew Research Center analysis of recent surveys shows a worrisome trend for tea party Republicans: In districts represented by members of the House Tea Party Caucus, adults are roughly split over whether they agree or disagree with the movement.

Memo to the Tea Party: Rick Santorum Rejects Your Message

Conor Friedersdorf, The Atlantic | February 16, 2012

The libertarian Cato Institute's vice president, Gene Healy, is baffled by the recent surge in support for Rick Santorum among tea partiers. Ticking off the former senator's various George W. Bush-era heresies, Healy writes, "The tea party movement was supposed to represent an end to this sort of moralistic Big Government conservatism. Animated by 'fiscal responsibility, limited government, and free markets,' as the Tea Party Patriots' credo put it, the movement had supposedly put social issues on the back burner to focus on the crisis of government growth."

Can Newt Gingrich Pass Tea Party Muster?

Beth Reinhard | November 16, 2011

Newt Gingrich doesn’t seem like the tea party’s type. He’s the ultimate Washington insider, a career politician who spent two decades in that reviled institution known as the U.S. Congress.

Are the Tea Party's 15 Minutes Up?

Lindsey Boerma | August 5, 2011

Tea partiers may have scored big victories in the debt-ceiling standoff, but was the movement's image damaged?

Bachmann Tries to Fire Up Tea Party Supporters

Sarah Huisenga | November 9, 2011

The Minnesota congresswoman reminds the tea party faithful why she was once their top pick for president.

Failed Candidates and Faded Icons Reflect Tea Party Decline

Naureen Khan | February 8, 2012

Resignation seems to be the overriding mood among tea party activists around the country, and there’s mounting evidence that the movement's influence is on the wane.

Michele Bachmann: Tea Party Incarnate

Erik Hayden | August 8, 2011

With Iowa's Ames Straw Poll coming up on Saturday, Tea Party darling Michele Bachmann is glowing in the spotlight of two prominent magazine profiles. This week's New Yorker and Newsweek ground their portraits of Bachmann in the emotional connection she makes with audiences on the stump. As N...

Is the Tea Party Winding Down?

Joshua Green, The Atlantic | May 12, 2011

Last week, the Tea Party's tide seemed to peak, and then begin to roll back.

Bachmann: Perry Behind Tea Party Ambush

Sarah Huisenga and Rebecca Kaplan contributed | October 28, 2011

Michele Bachmann says a rival candidate is behind a tea party call for her to quit the presidential race.

Avakian Hits the Tea Party in First Ad

Jessica Taylor | October 18, 2011

As images flash of the Democrat talking with seniors, driving his truck, and even getting his hair cut at a local barber shop, Avakian emphasizes his local roots. "I grew up here. I raised my kids here. This place is home to me. I'll fight for a jobs plan, and end to Wall Street handouts, whatever it takes," he says.

Herbert's Tea Party Problem

Sean Sullivan | April 4, 2011

In Washington, if you ask about a statewide Republican officeholder in Utah who is vulnerable to a Tea Party challenge, most people will assume you're talking about Sen. Orrin Hatch (R). Ask someone in Utah, and you might get a very different response. In an interview over the weekend with Sal...

Occupy Wall Street: The Democrats' Tea Party?

Jim O'Sullivan | October 6, 2011

Could the anti-Wall Street protests ignite Democratic passions the same way the tea party did for Republicans?

Video: Is the Tea Party Maturing?

Reid Wilson and Video by Theresa Poulson with photos by Getty Images | March 30, 2011

Some signs show that the movement might be growing up and moving toward becoming more sustainable.

Romney Expands Appeal to Evangelicals, Tea Party in N.H.

Ronald Brownstein | January 10, 2012

Mitt Romney demonstrated extraordinary reach across the Republican coalition in a sweeping New Hampshire victory Tuesday night that has left his rivals facing a potentially do-or-die stand in South Carolina a week from Saturday.Romney dominated not only the groups that favored him in Iowa last week,...

Tea Party Versus Tea Party In Utah

Julie Sobel | January 28, 2011

The Tea Party infighting in Utah is a warning sign to Sen. Orrin Hatch (R) that no single endorsement is enough to inoculate him from criticisms that he's not conservative enough for Republican voters. The Tea Party Express' consultant Sal Russo praised Hatch, in an interview with National Review...

Brass Band, Tea Party Provide Sound Track to Supreme Court Health Case

Naureen Khan | March 26, 2012

A brass band, tea party advocates, and a band of determined line-sitters set the stage as the Supreme Court began its first day of oral arguments on the 2010 Affordable Care Act.

GOP Debate Winner: The Tea Party

Ronald Brownstein | June 13, 2011

Mitt Romney did well but the tea party did better in the first major debate of the GOP presidential campaign.

QUICK TAKE: White House Blames Tea Party For Boehner's Turn

Julia Edwards | December 19, 2011

As the yearend extender bill passed by the Senate looms ready for failure in the House tonight, the White House blamed a “Tea Party revolt” for the block.

The Wheels of the Tea Party

Ethan Klapper | February 22, 2011

Tea Party politicians often pride themselves on how frugal they are. But is that reflected in what they drive? Click through this gallery to see the rides of some prominent Tea Party Republicans.

First Tea Party's a Charm for Mitt Romney

Sarah B. Boxer | September 5, 2011

CONCORD, N.H. -- Mitt Romney’s inaugural tea party went off Sunday evening with hardly a hiccup.

The Tea Party Primary In Texas

Kevin Brennan | February 14, 2011

A primary within a primary in the race to replace retiring Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison (R-Texas) was on full display at CPAC over the weekend. Former Texas Solicitor General Ted Cruz (R), who served as emcee for several hours Thursday, and Texas Railroad Commissioner Michael Williams (R) are expected...

Tea Party Groups Continue to Target Hatch

Sean Sullivan | August 23, 2011

Conservative Utah Rep. Jason Chaffetz's decision not to challenge Republican Sen. Orrin Hatch in the Republican Senate primary is forcing conservative groups to rethink their strategy on how to defeat the six-term senator.

The Tea Party Express' Controversial Endorsement

Sean Sullivan | May 11, 2011

The Tea Party Express endorsed Nebraska Attorney General Jon Bruning (R) in his race against Sen. Ben Nelson (D-Neb.) on Wednesday, further solidifying his status as the Republican frontrunner.

Why a Newt Gingrich Candidacy Would Doom the Tea Party

Conor Friedersdorf, The Atlantic | December 6, 2011

Gallup finds that 82 percent of tea party-affiliated voters deem Newt Gingrich an acceptable Republican presidential nominee in 2012. They don’t seem to realize that if he wins the nod, their movement is doomed -- regardless of how the general election goes. The tea party cannot support Gingrich without betraying its core principles.

Obama Confronted by Tea Party Activists -- VIDEO

National Journal staff | August 16, 2011

President Obama on Monday was confronted by tea party activists after his town-hall meeting in Decorah, Iowa.

The Tea Party Favorite In Texas

Kevin Brennan | January 28, 2011

Texas Railroad Commissioner Michael Williams (R) thinks he knows what the voters of Texas are looking for in their next U.S. senator. "They want somebody who has a consistent record as a conservative, who has the courage to go to Washington and stand up to the Washington establishment," Williams t...

Tea Party Rising

Josh Kraushaar | January 25, 2011

Rep. Michele Bachmann, R-Minn., upstaged House Budget Chairman Paul Ryan, R-Wis., by delivering her own State of the Union response, courtesy of the Tea Party Express, but that’s merely the latest high-profile instance in which the tea party has taken on the establishment—and won.

Did the Tea Party Just Hold America Hostage?

Michael Hirsh | August 4, 2011

The nation has been through a kind of hostage crisis. But was it a Dog Day Afternoon—or Harpers Ferry?

Insiders Expect Tea Party Influence Will Dip in 2012

James A. Barnes | July 28, 2011

Member of Congress in both parties think that the tea party will be less of a force in the 2012 elections than it was in 2010, according to the results of this week's National Journal Congressional Insiders Poll.

Kick the Can: The Tea Party's Least Favorite Game

Eric Randall | July 28, 2011

The cliché: "Kicking the can down the road — a great Washington tradition when the two major political parties reach a budget impasse — is not an option this time if the U.S. is to maintain its privileged financial standing in the world," writes Patrice Hill at The...

The Tea Party's Self-Fulfilling Bankruptcy Prophesy

Elspeth Reeve | July 20, 2011

Why should Congress risk economic calamity by not raising the federal debt ceiling? Because of the economic calamity we're facing! Or at least, so the Tea Party argument goes. We now have less than two weeks before the dreaded August 2 deadline, when, unless the debt limit is raised, the government...

Santorum Tells Tea Party Audience He'd Be Willing to Break Up Illegal Immigrants' Families

Rebecca Kaplan | February 22, 2012

TUCSON, Ariz. – Rick Santorum, making rare remarks on immigration before an audience of tea party supporters here, pledged to secure the border and suggested he would be willing to break up families if some members are in America illegally.

Occupy Wall Street Bests Tea Party in Google Searches

Conor Friedersdorf, The Atlantic | October 28, 2011

Over at Google's Politics & Election Blog, Jake Parrillo has put together a comparison of Internet searches for Occupy Wall Street and the tea party, an exercise that turned up some interesting results.

On Libya, the Tea Party Goes Rogue

Lindsey Boerma | March 22, 2011

The tea party movement is divided on President Obama's military action in Libya—and tea partiers who oppose it sound a lot like the president's critics on the Democratic left.

The Tea Party's Murder-Suicide Pact

Joshua Green, The Atlantic | July 7, 2011

A growing number of Republicans in Congress responsive to the Tea Party movement seem dead set against a debt ceiling deal.

What Sparked the Tea Party

Michael Hirsh | November 13, 2010

Although Barack Obama gets blamed for just about everything these days, it was George W. Bush who helped engender the new force that is upending American politics. On Facebook: Give Your Take on Who is More Responsible

Coburn Links Occupy Wall Street, Tea Party to Lack of Washington Leadership

Sophie Quinton | October 19, 2011

Sen. Tom Coburn, R-Okla., said on Wednesday that he sees a “big difference” between the Tea Party movement and the Occupy Wall Street protests, but that both groups share a common anxiety: lack of leadership in Washington.

Iowa Tea Party's Unlikely Kingmaker

Beth Reinhard | March 13, 2011

Not long ago, the chairman of the Iowa Tea Party was a 26-year-old college student studying “turf grass management’’ -- as in golf courses. He was broke. Now, potential presidential candidates know Ryan Rhodes on a first-name basis.

The Tea Party Comes to Washington

Lindsey Boerma and Fawn Johnson | November 2, 2010

Rand Paul declares a "tea party tidal wave" as Kentucky voters send him to the Senate. Nevada's Angle loses to Reid.

A Tea Party Divide In Utah

Sean Sullivan | March 7, 2011

That Sen. Orrin Hatch (R-Utah) is working to improve his image among Tea Partiers in Utah is no secret. Most recently, he voted against a continuing resolution that would avoid a government shutdown, getting to the right of even Sen. Jim DeMint (R-S.C.) on the issue. But his aggressive outreach to...

Tea Party Favorite Perry Gets Revolution Date Wrong

Lindsey Boerma | October 12, 2011

Speaking to a group of college students, Texas Gov. Rick Perry asserts that the American Revolution took place in the 16th century.

What Tea Party Movement?

Elspeth Reeve | October 25, 2010

After a months-long investigation attempting to get a hold of the hundreds of Tea Party groups across the country, The Washington Post found the much-hyped movement is actually "not so much a movement as a disparate band of vaguely connected gatherings that do surprisingly little to engage in the...

Romney Wins Among Tea Party Voters, Cain Second

Tim Alberta | September 25, 2011

Updated 10:00 a.m.

Lugar To Tea Party: 'Get Real'

Julie Sobel | February 8, 2011

Sen. Richard Lugar (R-Ind.) took his latest jab at the tea party today, telling a local Indiana TV station that people need to "get real." Lugar has vigorously defended his record as he faces a primary challenge from state Treasurer Richard Mourdock as he vies for a seventh term in office. His refu...

Can The Tea Party Govern?

Josh Kraushaar | September 28, 2010

For a real sense of whether the Tea Party is a short-term fad or a long-term force, look no further than the gubernatorial landscape.

Inside The Tea Party Express

Chris Good | September 24, 2010

A Q&A with Sal Russo, a former Reagan aide who plays a key role in the tea party movement.

How Did CNN Get Hitched with a Tea Party PAC Anyway?

Elspeth Reeve | September 12, 2011

CNN and the Tea Party Express are co-hosting Monday's Republican primary debate, and the organizations make an odd pair. The Washington Post's Karen Tumulty gives some indication of how unusual the partnership is, noting that a man at the event's front gate referred to the TV host as the "Communist...

The Tea Party's Discontent: What Now?

Lindsey Boerma | January 6, 2011

The red paint is still drying from the House’s proverbial change of color scheme, but the relationship between Republicans and the movement that helped elect them is already starting to chip.

Tea Party Dogs GOP on Debt Ceiling

Eliza Newlin Carney | May 8, 2011

Tea party activists have taken some lumps lately, but they’re not going down without a fight.

Herman Cain Charges Democrats With Trying to Intimidate Tea Party

Naureen Khan | September 4, 2011

Republican presidential hopeful Herman Cain on Saturday batted back what he said were attempts to discredit the tea party movement.

New Hampshire’s Tempest From a Tea Party Chairman

Alex Roarty | August 25, 2011

New Hampshire’s libertarian political culture has been receptive to the tea party, but its tea party-backed chairman is being accused of wasteful spending and incompetent management.

Tea Party's Bark Proving Worse Than Its Bite in 2012

Alex Roarty and Sean Sullivan | August 24, 2011

The decision by conservative Rep. Jason Chaffetz, R-Utah, not to challenge Sen. Orrin Hatch, R-Utah, for his Senate seat was a major blow to tea party activists, the latest political obstacle the movement has faced as it tries to shape Congress to its liking.

Maxine Waters to Tea Party: 'Go Straight to Hell’ -- VIDEO

National Journal staff | August 22, 2011

Rep. Maxine Waters, D-Calif., had some harsh words for the tea party on Saturday while at a town-hall in Inglewood.

Video: The Anti-Tea Party?

Theresa Poulson | December 10, 2010

A bunch of political losers and has-beens will be celebrated next week with the launch of a new political movement aimed at encouraging centrism and civility. Beth Reinhard has the details.

Former Bush Staffer: Tea Party Activist Not Respectful in Confrontation With Obama -- VIDEO

Sara Sorcher | August 16, 2011

A former member George W. Bush’s senior staff said that the tea party activist who confronted President Obama in Iowa was acting inappropriately.

Donald Trump Courts the Tea Party in Florida

Ujala Sehgal | April 16, 2011

Donald Trump's (or "Sideshow Don" if you follow the New York Daily News) continued with his showstopping potential presidential campaign by addressing a Tea Party rally in Florida. But just hours before, in what CNN called "a hastily arranged news conference moments...

Obama: Tea Party Movement is Not so Bad

April 15, 2011

A 'Tea Party' Downgrade? White House Message is Murky on the Subject -- VIDEO

Theresa Poulson | August 8, 2011

Democrats over the weekend were quick to pin the U.S. credit downgrade by Standard & Poor on the tea party, labeling it the "tea party downgrade." But the administration on Monday toed a softer line -- avoiding waging war against the caucus of conservative Republicans, but also not absolving them for their part in the contentious debt-ceiling debate.

Palin Will Attend Wisconsin Tea Party Rally

Lindsey Boerma | April 14, 2011

An aide to Sarah Palin confirmed via Twitter on Thursday that the former Alaska governor and possible White House contender will attend a tea party tax-day rally in Wisconsin on Saturday.

Quote: The Internet Through the Eyes of the Tea Party

Eli Rosenberg | April 7, 2011

"Net neutrality is an innocuous sounding term for what is really media Marxism." --The group Tea Party Patriots, in a posting on their website about the impending House vote on whether or not to repeal the FCC's rules on net neutrality. Mother Jones's Stephanie Mencimer was quick...

Reid: Tea Party Cheering for Government Shutdown

Theresa Poulson | April 7, 2011

The Tea Party Enthusiasm for a Government Shutdown

John Hudson | April 7, 2011

As the prospects for a budget compromise diminish and a government shutdown becomes more likely, some Tea Partiers are beginning to relish the moment. "It's unsustainable! Let him shut it," tweeted Tea Party heroine Sarah Palin. "Leaderless govt digs further debt, b...

A Tea Party Leader Stresses Pragmatism

Lindsey Boerma | April 5, 2011

The leader of the same tea party group that backed dark horses Christine O’Donnell, Sharron Angle, and Joe Miller for Senate in 2010 says they might be a little more selective next time around -- and that tea partiers’ defiant cries of “cut it or shut it” about the looming government shutdown are “just not realistic.”

Harry Reid Says Republicans Fear the Tea Party

Bryan Hood | April 3, 2011

Today on CBS's Face the Nation, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid told host Bob Schieffer that he felt that the leadership of the Republican party is afraid of the Tea Party and allowing them to dictate how they act. When a seemingly surprised Scheiffer asked Reid if he felt House Spea...

Boehner: 'No Daylight Between the Tea Party and Me'

Clifford Marks | April 7, 2011

Speaker John Boehner, R-OH, said in an interview Wednesday that there is "no daylight" between him and the tea party on budget cuts but dodged a question about whether that meant he would hold out for the full $61 billion in cuts demanded by the more conservative members of his caucus.

Romney Spurns Business Allies for Tea Party on Debt Deal

Beth Reinhard | August 2, 2011

Mitt Romney has portrayed himself as the candidate most in sync with the business community, but that wasn't true when it came to the debt-ceiling deal.

Tea Party Leverage Fading in Spending Talks?

Billy House | March 31, 2011

Today’s noontime rally on the west side of the Capitol by one of the nation’s largest tea party umbrella groups—the Tea Party Patriots—once carried the promise of being quite a raucous get-together.

Paul Claims Tea Party Mandate

Josh Kraushaar | November 2, 2010

Kentucky Senator-elect Rand Paul (R) claimed a Tea Party mandate from his decisive victory over Attorney General Jack Conway (D), in his victory remarks Tuesday night. "I have a message from the people of Kentucky, a message that is loud and clear and does not mince words: we've come to take our go...

N2K: Is the Tea Party Maturing?

Reid Wilson, Video by Theresa Poulson with photos by Getty Images | March 30, 2011

Tea Party Targets Reid Party

Lindsey Boerma | November 1, 2010

The Tea Party Express has all but officially called Nevada’s Senate race in favor of Republican candidate Sharron Angle.

Tea Party Group Pushes Ayn Rand Movie

Lindsey Boerma | March 23, 2011

Conservatives with ties to the tea party are hoping a new movie version of a 1957 novel will help fuel a political movement for the 2012 elections.

DCCC Chair Slams Grimm's Tea Party Criticisms

Jessica Taylor | March 14, 2011

On Monday, one House Republican who could have a tough reelection in 2012 took his frustration out on the more conservative arm of his party, slamming the "extreme wing" of the GOP for opposing the latest short-term continuing resolution. But he was afforded no sympathy from the House Democrats' ca...

Union Protesters and Tea Party Share Some Traits

Alex Roarty and Ben Terris | March 10, 2011

Even as they occupy opposite ends of the ideological spectrum, the union protests in Wisconsin and the tea party movement have a remarkably similar genesis. Months after demoralizing elections, both movements converted outrage over the actions of newly elected officials into grassroots-focused activism. President Obama sparked the tea party; Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker incited liberals.

Does the Tea Party Really Hate John Boehner?

Alexander Eichler | March 3, 2011

Are Boehner and the Tea Party no longer BFFs? Today it was reported that Judson Phillips, founder of the group Tea Party Nation, has launched a broadside against the Speaker of the House on the TPN Web site, criticizing Boehner's ineffectiveness and declaring that "the honeymoon is over.&qu...

Ohio Tea Party Groups Push for Amendment Blocking Individual Mandate

Althea Fung | July 8, 2011

Ohio tea party leaders say they have collected enough signatures to get a constitutional amendment added to the November ballot that would exempt Ohioans from the federal mandate to purchase health insurance.

Herman Cain Wins Tea Party Straw Poll

Ben Terris | February 28, 2011

Herman Cain edged out more prominent Tea Party favorites in a presidential straw poll taken at a Tea Party Patriots weekend summit in Phoenix, Arizona.

Polling The Tea Party Movement

Mark Blumenthal | February 15, 2010

Ideally, we poll to measure what we don't know about public opinion, not to confirm the things we already know. Yet when good pollsters obtain surprising results, their first instincts are usually to question their own findings: Could the unexpected finding be an artifact of methodology? What new questions can we ask in future surveys to check if the findings are real and broaden our understanding of this new wrinkle in public opinion?

The Tea Parties' Populist Blend

Kevin Friedl | February 3, 2010

Michael Kazin is a busy man these days. As reporters and politicians rush to catch up on the Tea Party movement, Kazin, a historian at Georgetown University specializing in American populist movements, has found himself in high demand. "I've got another reporter on the line, can I call you right back?" he could be overheard saying into his cell phone during a recent interview with NationalJournal.com. "It's populism week right now!"

Tea Party's First Target: Richard Lugar

Josh Kraushaar | February 8, 2011

The Tea Party Express formally announced Tuesday evening that Sen. Richard Lugar (R-Ind.) will be one of its leading targets in 2012, kicking off a nearly two-year campaign to unseat the veteran senator. In a fundraising e-mail titled "Time to Punish Dick Lugar?" Tea Party Express chair Amy Kremer...

Hatch Tries To Jump On The Tea Party Express

Lindsey Boerma | February 8, 2011

Sen. Orrin Hatch (R-Utah) doesn't want to face the same fate as his former Senate colleague Robert Bennett so he invited himself to a Tea Party Express town hall Tuesday night -- widely seen as a strategic move to preemptively make amends with the movement that has made its name ousting establishme...

Guess Who's Coming to the Tea Party? Orrin Hatch

Lindsey Boerma | February 7, 2011

Sen. Orrin Hatch, R-Utah, a prime tea party target, has RSVP'd for a tea party town hall on Tuesday night.

The Tea Party’s Next Move

Jonathan Rauch | February 10, 2011

Activists hope to repurpose an obscure constitutional provision to derail federal health laws.

Scott Brown: The Tea Party's Pragmatism Test

Lindsey Boerma | February 3, 2011

Sen. Scott Brown, R-Mass., probably doesn’t have much to worry about in 2012.

Rubio Skeptical Of The Need For Tea Party Caucus

Jeremy P. Jacobs | January 24, 2011

Newly-elected Florida Sen. Marco Rubio (R) put some distance between himself and the nascent Senate Tea Party Caucus on Monday, saying he doesn't see the need for it. Rubio, dubbed the country's first Tea Party senator by the New York Times Magazine, has been closely watched since arriving in the S...

Allen Challenger Addresses Tea Party Caucus

Dan Roem | January 29, 2011

Virginia Tea Party Patriots Federation co-founder Jamie Radtke (R) stepped on the national stage Thursday as she addressed the inaugural meeting of the Senate Tea Party Caucus -- a move that raises her profile as she challenges former Virginia Sen. George Allen (R) in his bid to reclaim the seat he...

Liberal Activists Target Tea Party Koch Brothers

Elspeth Reeve | January 31, 2011

This weekend, hundreds of activists rallied outside a conservative retreat in California hosted by the Koch Brothers, some of the biggest donors to the Tea Party and libertarian causes. Police in helmets held back the protesters, who were chanting about "corporate greed" as conservative donors...

Tempest Over A Tea Party

Josh Kraushaar | August 17, 2010

http://hotlineoncall.nationaljournal.com/archives/2010/08/tempest_over_a.php

Graves Would Seek Tea Party Mantle

Lindsey Boerma and Jeremy P. Jacobs | January 20, 2011

If Missouri Republican Rep. Sam Graves ends up running for the Senate, he'll actively seek out the support of Tea Party activists in the Show Me State, he said Thursday. The remarks foreshadow a potential show down with former Missouri Treasurer Sarah Steelman (R), who is already in the race and pl...

What We Learned: Tea Partying In New Hampshire

Hotline Staff | January 23, 2011

-- The Tea Party is alive and well in New Hampshire. The Tea Party backed Jack Kimball upset establishment favorite Juliana Bergeron on Saturday to become chairman of the New Hampshire GOP. Bergeron was backed by outgoing Chair John Sununu. Kimball's win raises more questions than it answers. Chief...

Tea Party Caucus Pledges Action

July 20, 2010

Rep. Michele Bachmann, R-Minn., and her fledgling Tea Party Caucus held its first meeting and press conference this morning, announcing it has 29 charter members. Rather than serving as the Tea Party movement's "mouthpiece," the group will be a receptive ear on Capitol Hill, members said. The caucus so far counts three of the five top House GOP leaders in its group -- Republican Conference Chairman Mike Pence of Indiana, National Republican Congressional Campaign Committee Chairman Pete Sessions of Texas, and Republican Study Committee Chairman Tom Price of Georgia.

Dean: Tea Party Fueled By Fear Of Diversity

Beth Reinhard | January 5, 2011

Fear of diversity is the driving force behind the conservative Tea Party movement, former Democratic party chief Howard Dean said Wednesday, as a slew of Tea Party-favored Republican members of Congress took the oath of office. Dean, the former Vermont governor known for his no-holds-barred demeano...

Does the GOP Have a Tea Party Problem?

Elspeth Reeve | December 20, 2010

Many wondered not whether the Tea Party would become a headache for Republicans, but when. The answer might be: right now. John Boehner hasn't even claimed his speakerly throne yet, and already there are "signs of a rift" between top Republicans and the Tea Party that helped them win a majority in t...

N2K: Will Tea Party Members Moderate?

Gregg Sangillo, video by Theresa Poulson with photos by Getty Images | December 20, 2010

Tea Party Group: Reform Entitlements or Lose GOP Nomination

Lindsey Boerma | May 20, 2011

Leaders of the tea party-affiliated group FreedomWorks think the FY12 budget plan proposed by Paul Ryan is (almost) perfect.

Video: Will Tea Party Members Have To Go Moderate?

Gregg Sangillo and Video by Theresa Poulson with photos by Getty Images | December 21, 2010

A new, conservative member of Congress may have to move to the center if she wants to hold onto her seat in a swing district.

Jon Stewart: How Are the Wall Street Protesters Not Like the Tea Party? Plus: Does Herman Cain Believe ... in Science? -- VIDEO

Theresa Poulson | October 6, 2011

Jon Stewart on Wednesday responded to pundits who have been attacking the Wall Street protesters for being disorganized, unfocused, lacking a clear cause ... sound familiar?

Steelman Under Scrutiny From Tea Party

Jeremy P. Jacobs | December 6, 2010

The dominant storyline following former Missouri Treasurer Sarah Steelman's (R) early entry into the 2012 Missouri Senate race was how another Tea Party-versus-establishment showdown was shaping up in the Republican primary if former Sen. Jim Talent (R) also runs. But from discussions with both in...

The Real Rubio: Tea Party or Party Man?

December 7, 2010

Political Correspondent Beth Reinhard knows Marco Rubio better than most, having covered the Republican senator-elect in Florida before he became the Tea Party's darling and a conservative rising star. So how might Rubio behave as a lawmaker in Washington? Reinhard makes her predictions below....

N2K: The Anti-Tea Party?

Theresa Poulson with photos by Getty Images | December 9, 2010

Can Boehner Control the New Tea Party Congress?

Elspeth Reeve | December 6, 2010

The dapper, golf-loving, wine-swilling Minority Leader John Boehner was one of the first Republican leaders to understand that his party needed to harness the power of the Tea Party, the New Yorker's Peter Boyer explains. Only a couple hundred people were expected to show up at an anti-tax rall...

Toomey and Some Tea Party Republicans Offer Budget Plan

Humberto Sanchez | May 10, 2011

A group of nine Senate Republicans that includes some tea-party-backed lawmakers unveiled a proposal to balance the budget by fiscal 2020 by reducing spending to 18.5 percent of GDP from the current 24 percent and turn Medicaid into a block grant program.

Tea Party Caucus Takes $1 Billion In Earmarks

Reid Wilson | December 1, 2010

Members of the Congressional Tea Party Caucus may tout their commitment to cutting government spending now, but they used the 111th Congress to request hundreds of earmarks that, taken cumulatively, added more than $1 billion to the federal budget. According to a Hotline review of records compiled...

Sunday Shows: Plouffe Says Country 'Tired' of Tea Party Demands; Netanyahu Doubles Down

September 25, 2011

White House senior adviser David Plouffe said on Sunday not to expect any major staff shake-ups at the White House before the 2012 elections. Plus: Israel's Benjamin Netanyahu took a hard line on negotiations after the Palestinian statehood bid, and Sens. Mark Warner and Lamar Alexander each blamed the opposing party for the looming potential government shutdown.

The Tea Party and the Republicans: Can They Meet in the Middle?

Lindsey Boerma | November 9, 2010

Tea party activists want to reduce government spending, but they may not agree with the GOP establishment that a balanced budget amendment is the answer.

Is Rand Paul 'Selling Out' the Tea Party?

Erik Hayden | November 9, 2010

Would you say no to earmarks? "No—no more earmarks," replied Rand Paul to Christine Amanpour last Sunday on This Week. This stance was supposed to be one thing that distinguished the "lone pure Tea Party stalwart" from the GOP establishment in the Senate chamber. Yet, Paul has already begun to...

Map: As Tax Day Nears, Tea Party Leaders Rally Across the Nation

Lindsey Boerma | April 15, 2011

Since the birth of the tea party more than two years ago, the tradition of rallying around tax day has become an emblem of the movement's devotion to fiscal responsibility and limited government. Here's a look at where some of the country's most bold-faced tea party activists and Republican party leaders will be speaking this weekend. (Click on the locations to see who, what, when, and where.)

Tea Party Favorites Expect Legislative Agenda

Sara Sorcher | November 3, 2010

The “tea party tidal wave” that Senator-elect Rand Paul boasted of on Election Night is promising to head for Congress as a new legislative wave.

STRANGE BEDFELLOWS: The 'Tea Party' Elected Jimmy Carter

Erik Hayden | November 1, 2010

Conservatives never particularly liked Jimmy Carter. Some, however, developed quite a crush on the Tea Party. So imagine the surprise among certain right-wing segments to learn that the Tea Party helped elect Carter in 1976. It's true. At least according to Carter, who also seems to have develop...

Michael Steele Defends Tea Party, Palin

Clifford Marks | November 1, 2010

In an interview on CNN's American Morning, Republican National Committee Chairman Michael Steele defended ex-Alaska Governor Sarah Palin and criticized Republican leaders who have voiced doubts about the prospect of tea party candidates like Alaska’s Joe Miller.

O'Donnell Won't Speak At Tea Party Rally With Palin

Sean Sullivan | August 30, 2011

It turns out Christine O'Donnell won't be speaking at a Saturday Tea Party event in Iowa that is also slated to feature Sarah Palin.

Tea Party Blasts Congressman for Being Muslim

Alex Eichler | October 27, 2010

On Saturday, the Tea Party Nation sent a mass e-mail urging support of Lynn Torgerson, the Republican challenger in Minnesota's Fifth District. Torgerson is running against Democratic incumbent Keith Ellison, about whom the e-mail stated:

Donald Trump to Headline South Florida Tea Party's Tax Day Rally

Lindsey Boerma | April 5, 2011

Add one more name to the list of possible presidential contenders actively seeking the tea party mantle: Donald Trump has confirmed that he will headline the South Florida Tea Party’s tax day rally on April 16.

Hoffa's 'S.O.B.' Broadside Against Tea Party Brushed Off by Obama Spokesman -- VIDEO

Theresa Poulson | September 6, 2011

White House press secretary Jay Carney on Tuesday defended the president's silence on a controversial comment made by a union leader at a Labor Day event where Obama spoke.

As Shutdown Approaches, Is the Tea Party’s Hard Line Softening?

Lindsey Boerma | April 8, 2011

Michele Bachmann and Sarah Palin split on the budget impasse.

Tea Party Express Chair Gets Local

Lindsey Boerma | October 25, 2010

Amy Kremer, chair of the Tea Party Express PAC, today issued a “personal” endorsement of Tom Tancredo in the three-way Colorado governor's race.

Van Hollen, Giuliani: Tea Party to Blame for Lack of Compromise on Cuts

Lindsey Boerma and Clifford Marks contributed | April 5, 2011

The tea party is to blame for holding up progress on government funding, say House Budget Committee ranking member Chris Van Hollen and potential GOP presidential candidate Rudy Giuliani.

How Christine O'Donnell Went From Tea Party Favorite to Outcast

Conor Friedersdorf, The Atlantic | August 31, 2011

In the tea party, one day you're in and the next you're out.

Romney to Participate in Tea Party-Sponsored New Hampshire Summit

Lindsey Boerma | April 4, 2011

Mitt Romney will participate in a New Hampshire presidential summit on spending and job creation at the end of this month, the tea-party affiliated Americans for Prosperity Foundation announced on Monday.

Pawlenty, Santorum to Court Tea Party Support on Tax Day

Lindsey Boerma | March 30, 2011

There's a stampede among Republican presidential contenders to drink the tea.

Tea Party Target Kratovil Trails in Maryland

Lindsey Boerma | October 21, 2010

One of tea party's best-known victims is likely to lose his congressional seat, according to a new poll.

Will Tea Party Sink Barney Frank's Reelection Bid?

Erik Hayden | October 24, 2010

"I do not intend to be ambushed by the kind of right-wing smears that assailed John Kerry in 2004," proclaimed Barney Frank as he donated another $200,000 to his own reelection campaign. The fifteen-term congressman, who hasn't faced a viable competitor in decades, is now in a political firefight ag...

Tea Party Divide: Protesters Call for Shutdown; Lawmakers, Not So Much

Lindsey Boerma | March 31, 2011

The throngs of protesters who braved the cold and rain to gather on Capitol Hill on Thursday for the Tea Party Patriots’ Continuing Revolution Rally had a slightly different message than the movement-loyal members of Congress they came to see.

NYT: Tea Party Group Campaigns for Asian Paper Company

Olga Belogolova | March 31, 2011

Tea partiers are defending an Indonesian paper company from paying tariffs.

Tea Parties Defined By What They Oppose

Bill Schneider | February 12, 2010

The "tea party" movement is defined mostly by what it is against, not what it's for.

Bush Defense of Bailouts Contrasts With Tea Party

Rebecca Kaplan | October 20, 2010

At a speech last night to the University of Texas-Tyler, former President Bush said that his decision to bail out the banks at the beginning of the financial crisis “wasn’t that hard” because he was warned of how bad a possible depression could be.

Can GOP Harness Energy of Tea Party?

October 18, 2010

12 Tea Party Players To Watch

Christopher Snow Hopkins, Siddhartha Mahanta and Theresa Poulson | February 3, 2010

Updated at 9:12 a.m. on Feb. 17.

Potion for Tea Party Love: Play Hard to Get

Lindsey Boerma | October 13, 2010

Forget glad-handing and kissing babies. If last weekend's convention in Virginia is any indication, the tea party prefers politicians who play hard to get.

Brown's Campaign Buoyed By Tea Party

Neil Munro | February 1, 2010

Tea Party activists claim some credit for Scott Brown's Senate upset in Massachusetts, and there's good evidence that the decentralized movement played an important, albeit indirect, role.

How The Tea Party Might Help Net Neutrality

Eliza Krigman | October 14, 2010

At first blush, tea party members would appear to be uniformly opposed to increased government regulation in any sector of the economy. But some leaders are open to narrow legislation that would codify principles to preserve an open Internet, CongressDaily reported. To be clear, there is no enthusi...

How Tea Party Might Help Net Neutrality

Eliza Krigman | October 12, 2010

At first blush, tea party members would appear to be uniformly opposed to increased government regulation in any sector of the economy. But some leaders are open to narrow legislation that would codify principles to preserve an open Internet.

Miffed at GOP, Tea Party Group Plans a Capitol Protest

Billy House | March 23, 2011

An e-mail from Tea Party Patriots leaders on Wednesday exhorted members and supporters to hold “a Continuing Revolution Rally” next Thursday outside the Capitol to underscore their disappointment with House Republicans over the ongoing budget battles.

Dennis Kucinich, Being Consistent, Sides with Tea Party on Libya

Eli Rosenberg | March 21, 2011

Eccentric Congressman Dennis Kucinich seems to be consistent, at least. Leading the charge of progressives opposed to intervention in Libya, Kucinich went one step further, claiming, Raw Story reports, that Obama's decision "would appear on its face to be an impeachable offense" b...

McCain Isn't Sorry for Calling Tea Party Members 'Hobbits' -- VIDEO

Theresa Poulson | August 9, 2011

During a town hall meeting in Gilbert, Ariz., on Monday, Sen. John McCain was met with some boos after he wouldn't apologize for calling members of the Tea Party "hobbits."

Tea Party Comes To Georgetown -- To Collect Money

Jim O'Sullivan | October 6, 2010

The Tea Party came to town Tuesday night -- and headed right to the favorite precincts of Washington's power elite, hats in hand.

Taming The Tea Party? Insurgent Candidates Feted In Georgetown

Jim O'Sullivan | October 5, 2010

The tea party came to town Tuesday night -- and headed right to the favorite precincts of Washington's power elite, hats in hand.

N2K: Could the 'Prince of Pork' Be the Tea Party's Best Friend?

Major Garrett, video by Theresa Poulson with photos by Getty Images | March 9, 2011

Tea Party Activists Take on Public-Employee Unions in Florida, Ohio

Lindsey Boerma | March 8, 2011

As the budget war over rages on in Wisconsin, counterprotesters from the tea party movement are turning their efforts to other states on the verge of similar fights.

Obama Wants Details From Tea Party

George E. Condon Jr. | September 19, 2010

President Obama, confronting some of his biggest critics in the business community and going to the place where the tea party movement got its start, today offered a stout defense of his economic policies and challenged tea party activists to be more specific in their positions.

Video: Could the 'Prince of Pork' Be the Tea Party's Best Friend?

Major Garrett and Video by Theresa Poulson with photos by Richard A. Bloom, Chet Susslin and Getty Images | March 9, 2011

House Appropriations Chairman Harold Rogers' transformation from a pork-barrel kingpin to his role cutting spending is a symbol for the way Washington is changing. Correspondent Major Garrett previews his cover story in this week's National Journal.

Tea Party 2012: Will Michele Bachmann Steal Sarah Palin's Thunder?

Lindsey Boerma | March 4, 2011

It's looking increasingly likely that tea party maven and Rep. Michele Bachmann, R-Minn., will dive into the 2012 presidential waters.

A Guide To The Six Major Tea Party Groups

Chris Good | September 10, 2010

Who they are and why they matter.

Next Electoral Target For Tea Party: Democrats

Lindsey Boerma | September 15, 2010

Christine O'Donnell's GOP primary upset in Delaware on Tuesday is just one more feather in the caps of Tea Party activists, who now boast a handful of Senate candidates in November.

Pro-Labor View Up, Tea Party Anger Down

Jim O'Sullivan | March 3, 2011

A Pew poll has found that as tea party antigovernment passions wane, the collective-bargaining donnybrook in Wisconsin and elsewhere appears to have reawakened the pro-labor sentiment on the left.

Castle, Tea Party Buy More Ads

September 7, 2010

Rep. Michael Castle, R-Del., and the Tea Party Express purchased more airtime late Tuesday for what is shaping up to be a nasty run up to next week's primary. Castle bought another $75,000 of airtime in the Salisbury, Md., market, which covers southern Delaware, according to a Democratic source. The Tea Party Express, which is backing GOP primary candidate Christine O'Donnell, purchased $32,000 for air time on cable, but only in the Salisbury market. Both ad buys start today and run through primary day on Tuesday.

Scott Brown-Tea Party Relationship Sends Mixed Signals

Lindsey Boerma | February 23, 2011

The latest in the tea party-Scott Brown saga: powerhouse PAC Tea Party Express released a statement today lashing out at Rep. Michael Capuano, D-Mass.—a potential 2012 threat to Republican Massachusetts Sen. Brown—for defending union protests Tuesday. Tea Party Express chair Amy Kremer accused Capuano of “calling for bloodshed”:

Louisiana Redistricting: A Tea Party Republican Could Lose Out

David Wasserman | March 4, 2011

After nearly running the table on Democrats in Louisiana in the last decade, Republicans have no more Democrats to target. Right now it looks like Republican Rep. Jeff Landry will be the odd man out, writes The Cook Political Report's David Wasserman.

Mr. Tea Party Comes to Washington: Rand Paul on His Unlikely Odyssey

Lindsey Boerma | February 25, 2011

Book: The Tea Party Goes to Washington

Scott Brown: 'I'm Not a Tea Party Member'

Lindsey Boerma | February 22, 2011

One of the tea party’s biggest conundrums—Sen. Scott Brown, R-Mass.—is taking the pressure off the movement that is currently torn about backing him in 2012. Appearing on Morning Joe and Fox and Friends this morning, Brown, the first candidate to enjoy tea party support in his 2010 special election, responded to threats of a primary challenge from the hard right upset with his votes outside party lines. The Hill reports that Brown told MSNBC, “I welcome all challengers;” on Fox, he continued: “I'm a Republican from Massachusetts. I'm not a tea party member.”

Tea Party Leader: ‘Maybe We Should See About a New Speaker’

Lindsey Boerma | July 27, 2011

Et tu, tea party? Fiscal insurgents who ousted Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., from the speakership now take aim at House Speaker John Boehner, R-Ohio.

McMahon Wins Tea Party Poll In Connecticut

Sean Sullivan | February 14, 2011

The Connecticut Tea Party Patriots held a 2012 Senate straw poll Saturday, and among the top finishers were a few familiar names from the 2010 cycle. Linda McMahon, the 2010 Republican Senate nominee, won the straw poll while Republican Peter Schiff, who finished third in the Senate Republican prim...

Strange Brew: Tea Party Claimants Compete for 2012 Senate Nominations

Lindsey Boerma | January 25, 2011

Former Sen. George Allen's comeback bid sets up a Virginia primary battle between claimants to the tea party mantle -- and it's not the only one brewing.

Will Tea Party Patron Jim DeMint Run for President?

Elspeth Reeve | January 27, 2011

Jim DeMint would go for the presidency in 2012 if none of the other candidates were sufficiently conservative, CNN's Peter Hamby reports. The South Carolina senator has denied harboring such aspirations for a year, but in March, he's headed to Iowa. His closest advisers say DeMint has set a high...

NJ Topics Tea Party