That's the point to TEApublicanism - taking back the GOP, and then turning it into a weapon for use against the Dimocrats.
Going third party, however, is the cowardly fool's way out. It is an active attempt to get around the hard work of restoring the GOP. But the irony is, starting a (successful) third party from the ground up would be infinitely more work than merely recapturing the existing framework of the Republican Party. If these third partyists are already too lazy to plug away at the one, what makes us think they'll have any staying power to do the other?
GOTP
“Going third party, however, is the cowardly fool’s way out.”
It is a career path move. TV, books, appearances.
Pat Buchanan, Harry Browne, Tom Tancredo, Alan Keyes, Bob Barr, Ralph Nader...and more.
And it works. Each abovementioned personality most likely earns a handsome living, from this career path strategy.
They have followings in the hundreds, sometimes even the thousands.
Tancredo and Barr held lower office, the rest never bothered to stand for any election they actually had a chance of winning.
Tancredo in Colorado is a clear example of the downside from these people. After disrupting the election, he’ll be the darling of the liberal media, looking for a willing talker to criticize the GOP.
A twofer.