American_Jihad
Flaming Libs/Koranimals
Tea Party stuns with $12.2m cash haul
5/9/12 By John D. McKinnon
In this Friday, March 23, 2012 photo, Pat Denzer holds a copy of the U.S. Constitution to his chest at a protest in downtown San Antonio. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)
5/9/12 By John D. McKinnon
In this Friday, March 23, 2012 photo, Pat Denzer holds a copy of the U.S. Constitution to his chest at a protest in downtown San Antonio. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)
Sen. Richard Lugar, who lost his primary fight in Indiana Tuesday, doesnt need any reminders of the tea party movements ongoing appeal. But for those who do, another one surfaced recently in the tax return of the tea party movements biggest umbrella organization.
The Woodstock, Ga.-based Tea Party Patriots reported raising $12.2 million for the year ended May 31, 2011. That vaults them into the ranks of some of the most successful conservative activist groups, including FreedomWorks, the Club for Growth and Americans for Tax Reform.
Nonprofit organizations annual tax returns are lagging indicators, of course, and the political-fundraising landscape has been evolving rapidly. But the Tea Party Patriots success underscores the continuing perhaps even growing power of the tea party.
Much attention has been focused this election season on super PACs and nonprofits some with ties to the tea-party movement that are raising large sums, often from wealthy donors, and pouring it into campaign-themed advertising.
By contrast, the Tea Party Patriots and their affiliated groups are generally staying focused on the grassroots ground game training, issue education, webinars and tele-town halls, and mobilizing of volunteers. The Patriots say they have 3,500 local affiliates, as well as a mailing list of 310,000 small-dollar donors. They also say theyve raised even more money for the 2012 fiscal year, although they declined to provide numbers.
Its brick-by-brick organization building, and the results arent easily measured. But the Patriots leaders say theyre creating a structure that will last.
At the same time, the Patriots and other tea party groups are maturing, holding fewer raucous rallies and doing more phone-banking.
Tea Party Patriots: A $12.2 Million Haul - Washington Wire - WSJ