Tea Party Continues To Splinter Republicans

By Yashwanth Manjunath

With the 2010 elections coming up, the Democrats face the prospect of possibly losing control of the Senate due to tremendous voter dissatisfaction with their policies and a deflated base. Fortunately for the Democrats, with enemies like the Republicans and the Tea Party continuing to shoot each other in the foot, they may not need many friends to hang on to their majority.

The Republicans and the Tea Party have already clashed on several key Senate races. While the Tea Party candidates are more in line with the rabidly conservative base of the Republican Party, their extremist policies turn off necessary independent voters and may save the Democrats this November. Already the candidacy of Rand Paul has put Kentucky in play for the Democrat Jack Conway, something that was previously thought to be impossible before the Republican primary. The candidacy of Sharron Angle has taken a sure win away from the Republicans and now Harry Reid, at one point sporting approval ratings in the low 30’s, looks likely to keep his seat.

The latest example of a fight between the Tea Party and the Republicans is the Republican primary in Missouri. Tea Partiers are saying “Et tu Bachmann” as her endorsement of Roy Blunt (pictured) has sparked new outrage. The Tea Party is firmly behind State Senator Chuck Purgason. So what is the Tea Party’s beef with Blunt? Following Bachmann’s betrayal, the Missouri Tea Party Alliance released this statement:

“Tea Party participants believe the spending in Washington has to STOP,”. “Roy Blunt voted for TARP and Cash for Clunkers. For Michele Bachmann to come to Missouri and give the impression that all the Missouri Tea Parties support Roy Blunt is an abomination of everything we have been standing up for.”

Blunt currently holds a slight edge over Democrat Robin Carnahan in general election polling. But if the Republicans don’t find a way to restrain their Tea Party allies, they may be opening the door for Carnahan and the Democrats.

PS: Cash for Clunkers!? Really!? That’s a serious issue for the Tea Party???

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