Sharron Angle’s victory in the Nevada Republican primary for U. S. Senate has many in the traditional party structures a bit disturbed. Senator John Cornyn says he won’t be discussing policy with her, just mechanics and many hope she can just keep from discussing her more extreme political positions (source).
From Preserving Democracy, page 273:
While often portrayed by critics as artificial and “Astroturf ” or vilely disparaged with sexual references, tea parties are in fact a loose connection of people coming together to express a general frustration with government. Most of this frustration centers around TARP, the stimulus bill, and the calls for even more spending and a further expansion of Government. While a few are trying to catch up so that they can claim leadership of the movement, there really is no leader and the movement is truly grass roots.
Elgin Hushbeck, Jr., author of Preserving Democracy, noted in response to this election:
The win by Sharron Angle once again shows that the anger of the voting public that is most visible in the tea party movement is not simply an anti-Obama or even anti-Democrat anger. People are tired of the non-responsive establishment on both sides who talk one way when campaigning and then act another once in office. As the party out of power, this sentiment most benefits Republicans at the moment. Still it is not by any means pro-Republican, a lesson Republicans should learn well, if they wish to hold on to the seats they will likely win this year.
Links:
Candidate Sites
News Stories:
Tea Party Candidates, Women Roar in Primary Night (Fox News)
Sharron Angle: Nevada Senate frontrunner? (Washington Post)
Blogs:
Note: Though we only use the blog name, each link is to a specific post on this issue from that particular blog.