Tea Party energizes Republicans however it costs them

The Tea Party proved to be a double-edged sword for Republicans within the 2010 midterm elections. Republicans were able to channel the movement’s frustration into a pro GOP message . But many comically unqualified Tea Party candidates ruined a chance for Republicans to take control of the Senate.

GOP getting Tea Party presents

The Republican base got more excited for the elections in 2010 than they were in 2008 due to the Tea Party. The movement’s anger had been co-opted and packaged into an effective anti-Democratic force. However, when that activist anger allowed questionable characters to vault over electable candidates in certain Republican primaries, hopes for a more complete Republican victory were dashed.

Tea Party pros and cons

The Tea Party helped Republicans gain 60 Congressional seats, the biggest swing by a major party within the House since 1948. 46 seats within the Senate were held by republicans following the election. An undecided vote had been expected to go Democratic. That's what had been expected to happen in Washington. A journalist had been once handcuffed by the bodyguards of Tea Party candidate Joe Miller. If he is able to win one of the seats then there can be 47 Republicans, as opposed to Lisa Murkowski winning in Alaska. But if not for the Tea Party, the GOP could have had 50 seats.

Tea Party candidates cannot be selected

The Tea Party got the candidates it wanted in key Senate races. These candidates, deemed unelectable by the Republican establishment, performed as expected. Tea Party candidate Ken Buck had been beat by incumbent Michael Bennet in Colorado. Last summer Buck said, "because I do not wear high heels" as the reason individuals ought to vote for him. Tea Party candidate Sharon Angle was beat out in Nevada by Democrat Harry Reid. One thing Angle said was that God anointed her to be a Senator. This bothered lots of people. Christine O'Donnell had been in the Senate race in Delaware. Palin had been involved in making her lose it to Chris Coons though.

Articles cited

Washington Post

voices.washingtonpost.com/plum-line/2010/11/did_tea_party_cost_gop_50-50_s.html

New York Times

douthat.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/11/03/the-tea-party-giveth/?partner=rss&emc=rss

CNN

cnn.com/2010/POLITICS/11/03/election.main/index.html?npt=NP1

Talking Points Memo

tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2010/07/colorado-republican-ken-buck-caught-on-tape-again-calling-birthers-dumbasses.php