Certainly more Republicans than Democrats show up at tea party events. But the movement's aim is to fight profligate spending by both parties in Washington. (GOP chairman Michael Steele was notably refused a spot on the speaking roster at a Chicago tea party event last year.)
In some ways, the tea party movement poses less of a challenge to Democrats than to Republicans, who must weigh the potential gains and pitfalls of courting far-right tea partyers against those of courting middle America. To what extent the tea party movement is middle America is the big question – one that coming elections will help answer.
in the September primaries, the tension between the Republican Party and the tea party movement became more pronounced. Several tea-party backed candidates (most notably Christine O'Donnell of Delaware) won the GOP primary but were not the candidates preferred by the Republican party leadership. And Republicans have wondered whether the tea party candidate will have broad enough appeal to win the Nov. 2 election.
