Tea Party Top 10 biggest winners and losers

8. Sharron Angle, Nevada

Rick Wilking/reuters
Republican US Senate candidate from Nevada and Tea Party champion Sharron Angle, during an election night rally in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Sharron Angle may be one of the biggest tea-party backed casualties.

Prior to the election, some polls suggested that she would embarrass the Democratic Party and unseat US Senate leader and 23-year incumbent Harry Reid. But Angle came up short on Nov. 2.

Angle had the backing of Sarah Palin and tea party activists. But stumbles along the way cost Angle the win.

For example, one Angle ad, criticizing Reid's immigration policies, included a photo of three menacing-looking Hispanics. The ad was criticized as racist. Angle didn't do herself any favors when she told a group of Hispanic high school students, in explaining the ad, that "I don’t know that all of you are Latino. Some of you look a little more Asian to me."

But Angle hints that her political ambitions may not end with this race.

"We didn't just inspire Republicans, we inspired Democrats and independents as well," Angle said according to the Associated Press. "They may call us the tea party, but we know we're Main Street America."

8 of 10
You've read  of  free articles. Subscribe to continue.