Heh, heh. There’s a funny thing about the confluence of power and a deliberate decision not to have a leader: someone is going to step up and grab the reins eventually. And that’s where the fun begins.
The tea party effort to unite behind one conservative U.S. Senate candidate is taking shape, with dates set for a debate and straw poll convention […]Invitations are being sent to all eight GOP candidates for a Jan. 14 debate at Central Michigan University, organizers announced. Two leaders from each qualified tea party group will be invited to participate in a Feb. 25 straw poll at CMU to determine who wins the tea party endorsement.
Uniting under the banner, Michigan 4 Conservative Senate, organizers say endorsing one candidate and rallying behind him is the best way to ensure a conservative candidate defeats Democratic incumbent Sen. Debbie Stabenow in November.
“It’s just a way to take a pulse of tea party groups and encourage them to work together and rather than work apart,” said Cindy Gamrat, an organizer for Michigan 4 Conservative Senate.
Alright, alright. That sounds good. So why aren’t all the tea partiers partying in the streets. Oh. Here’s why:
[S]ome tea party groups have declined to participate or weren’t invited. […][T]he unprecedented effort to unify the tea party vote has drawn criticism from some local tea party supporters who say the approach undermines the fiercely independent ideology of the movement. Others who support former Rep. Pete Hoekstra, R-Holland, believe the movement is designed to endorse any candidate but him as the tea party favorite.
“I think it’s really disingenuous to have a group of people come together and anoint themselves as tea party leaders and take it further and endorse a candidate,” said Patty McMurray, of Birmingham, co-founder of the Michigan Conservative Alliance, which wasn’t invited to the straw poll. […]
McMurray and fellow MICA co-founder, Leisa Audette, are both Hoekstra supporters and feel the event is rigged so Hoekstra doesn’t win.
Oops.
By the way, this landmark, earth-shaking event is expected draw an unprecedented pathetic 110 voters. Watch out, Senator Stabenow. The tea party is on the move!
