Tea Parties Acting On Local Politics

[Annie]

I've repeatedly said that the Tea Parties real agenda is to get candidates that they can support down the line, the only way to do so is getting local and state experience. That's how records are built and reputations made. I'm glad to see that the lesson has been learned. It will bring more problems between the GOP and the movement, but that is perhaps more of a benefit:

Tea party hopes to plant local roots in Virginia for next year's statewide elections

Tea party hopes to plant local roots in Virginia for next year's statewide elections

By Rosalind S. Helderman and Amy Gardner
Washington Post Staff Writers
Friday, November 26, 2010; 12:22 AM



With the November elections behind them, tea party activists are working to solidify their movement by pivoting quickly to state and local issues they think will allow them to show that theirs was not a one-time uprising tied to this year's congressional contest.

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For the national groups, assisting activists with local elections helps sustain grass-roots enthusiasm with an eye toward the next round of congressional elections - and the presidential contest - in 2012.

And for the activists, local and state elections are opportunities to nurture candidates who share their political beliefs and to win offices the activists say hold the most influence over people's lives. After all, they say, their movement is built on the premise that power should be concentrated locally instead of in Washington.

"The tea parties are growing momentum every day," said Fran Telarico, a tea party organizer near Fort Collins, Colo., who is helping build a communications network among other local groups in Colorado to look ahead to 2012 as well as local races. "There are more people joining tea parties now than ever."

Opportunities in 2011

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