Thread: Outrage Grows in Idaho Over Tea Party Express' Endorsement

Mark Meckler, Tea Party Patriots

While the Tea Party Express claims it talked to tea party leaders on the ground in Idaho's First District who endorse Democrat Walt Minnick, no one can seem to find any. Why is the Tea Party Express endorsing a Democrat against conservative Republicans in an conservative district in Idaho?

There appears to be a growing backlash against the Express for meddling in Idaho politics against the great majority of tea partiers in the state. More reporting here by Ed Morrisey of Hot Air.

http://hotair.com/archives/2010/04/21/t ... -in-idaho/

You have to ask yourselves...do you want Tea Party Express, a California based PAC, run by a decades old Republican consulting firm, coming into your state and telling you to vote for a Democrat over conservative Republicans supported by local tea partiers? What's up with that? And even if they weren't telling you to vote for a Democrat...do you want them telling you who to vote for at all? Isn't it up to you, as the local tea parties, to decide who to endorse, if anyone?

This is classic, top down, old-style politics. An organization from outside a state comes in and "endorses" in YOUR local race. To make matters worse, this group is NOT your local tea party, but because they use the name "Tea Party" everyone thinks your local group is endorsing someone they are not. Based on the fact that this PAC is run by a Republican oriented consulting firm that's been around for decades, it's not a surprise to see this sort of heavy handed, old style, top down politics. The only question is, will the folks in Idaho tolerate it? My bet is on the local tea partiers in Idaho to assert themselves against this outside intrusion into their local congressional race against their will.

http://teapartypatriots.ning.com/profil ... idaho-over

That is bizarre! Is it a mistake? A ruse perhaps? Very strange.

Republican baffled by Tea Party endorsement of Democratic rival
By Alex Pappas — The Daily Caller | Published: 04/21/10 at 3:06 AM | Updated: 04/21/10 at 8:38 AM

Idaho Democrat Rep. Walt Minnick

When the Tea Party Express last week endorsed Idaho Rep. Walt Minnick — the only Democrat to receive the backing of the conservative grassroots group — one of his Republican challengers said he was simply baffled to learn the news, considering Minnick’s past votes that line up with Democrats on the estate tax and Guantanamo Bay.

“He voted for Nancy Pelosi. I mean all these things — I’m like, ‘Wait a minute. This is the guy you guys want to get behind nationally?’â€