28 Tea Party Groups NOT Endorsing Roy Blunt

Bob McCarty Writes ^ | 7-27-10 | Bob McCarty

[BobMcCartyWrites]

I received a news release Tuesday that outlined how 28 Missouri Tea Party groups -- or 8,660 patriots -- have announced they are not endorsing Roy Blunt for U.S. Senate.

[BobMcCartyWrites]

Two days ago, I published a post, Roy Blunt NOT Endorsed by State Tea Party Groups, which included news today that members of three influential Tea Party groups -- including groups in Blunt's "neighborhood" towns of Branson and Springfield, Mo. -- have NOT endorsed Roy Blunt! Today, I received a news release outlining how a total of 28 Missouri Tea Party groups -- or 8,660 patriots -- are on the anti-endorsement bandwagon.

Below is the text of a news release (minus contact phone numbers) received late this evening from a representative of the Springfield (Mo.) 9-12ers Tea Party group:

MISSOURI TEA PARTY GROUPS HAVE NOT ENDORSED ROY BLUNT FOR U.S. SENATE

The following list of Tea Party organizations, from across the state of Missouri, have NOT endorsed Roy Blunt in his campaign for the U.S. Senate seat. When we received a notification that Minnesota Congresswoman Michele Bachmann, a strong supporter of Tea Parties nationally, and the originator of a “Tea Party Caucus” in Washington last week, will be coming to Missouri on July 31st to make phone calls with Roy Blunt from the St. Louis GOP headquarters, and to be a featured speaker at a Blunt fundraiser that night, we were shocked. We believe she has been grossly misled if she understands him to be a Missouri Tea Party candidate.

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. “Most Tea Party supporters I know will be baffled by Michele Bachmann helping someone with a record like Roy Blunt before the primary vote,” said Jedidiah Smith, a Tea Party leader in Franklin County, Missouri.

"Missouri Tea Party groups are proud of our steadfast position not to endorse candidates and to remain independent of political parties. We encourage all voters to examine the voting records, positions, and values of all candidates, to determine whether they promote the core values of the Tea Party Movement: fiscal responsibility, constitutionally-limited government, and free markets." said Eric Farris, a Tea Party leader in Branson, Missouri. There are sixteen candidates running for the Missouri U.S. Senate seat and the consistent message, among Tea Party participants, has been to check each of them out before voting in the August 3^rd Primary.

Signed by the following Tea Parties (# of members), Contact Person:

Branson Tea Party Coalition (246), Eric Farris; Buffalo Tea Party (102), Paul Beaird; Callaway Tea Party (52), Jeff Kauffman; Cape County Tea Party (150), Tom Young; Cass County (10), Dan Duckworth; Cassville Tea Party (100), Judith Mouser; Cooper County Tea Party (75), Daryl Bowles; Eureka Tea Party (497), Jeannine Huskey; Franklin County Patriots (860), Jedidiah Smith; In God We Trust PAC, Kansas City (500+), Kristi Nichols; In God We Trust Tea Party, SW MO (40), Greg Bartlett; Jefferson County Tea Party (600+), Ken Horton; Johnson County Patriots (100+), Jeff Merrick; K & N Patriots (O’Fallon) (650+), Janet Allquist; MID MO 9/12 Patriots (Columbia) (100), Chris O’Conner; Missouri As A Mom (415), Jacquelyn Ehrlich, Missouri ChairMOM; *Missouri Sovereignty Project (1,825), Tom Grady; Patriots of the Constitution (Salem) (167), Jan Abney; St. Joseph Tea Party (185), Maggie Siegmund; Show Me Patriots, Greater St. Louis Area (360), Cindy McGee; Sikeston Tea Party (400), Pam Yant; Springfield 912ers (203), Mike Crites; Springfield MO Tea Party (457), Janice Ellison; Sullivan 912 Group (50), Sandra Davidson; SW MO Conservative Network (Joplin) (280+), John Putnam; We Surround Them 912 Project, Jefferson Cnty & S. St. Louis Cnty (126), Rick Blowers; We The People . . . St. Francois County (55), Tammy Holmes; and 912 We The People of Monroe County MO (55), Ron & Martha Staggs.

Individual Statements from Various Groups Follow:

Eureka Tea Party -- “Eureka Tea Party believes that for Congresswoman Michele Bachmann to form a "Tea Party Caucus," and then openly endorse a Missouri candidate (Roy Blunt) before the Primary Election as a candidate believed to be representing the views of the tea party movement, is extremely premature on her part. She is either working directly for the GOP as an endorser for GOP backed Republican candidates, or she is completely misinformed and/or attempting to mislead the tea party groups. The Republican Party, or any other political party here in Missouri, should not assume that everyone in this patriot uprising will follow their lead when told to do so, as we are more informed and aware of who we believe will represent the people by adhering to state sovereignty, fiscal conservatism, and the U.S. Constitution. Candidates should not be promoted based solely on popular endorsement by other politicians and special interests, but by the people reviewing candidates' past performance in office and their stand on current political issues.

"We believe that Michele Bachmann is risking the status of her 'Tea Party Caucus' by taking this stand in Missouri before the Primary Election on August 3rd, and respectfully ask her to reconsider by NOT promoting Roy Blunt as the 'tea party' choice.”

In God We Trust PAC -- “In God We Trust PAC has not endorsed and would never endorse Roy Blunt for the U.S. Senate. Roy Blunt does not stand for the conservative values and principles the Tea Party movement represents. He is a career politician and Washington insider who has sold out his constituents for special interest money. Roy Blunt is, in fact, what we are endeavoring to 'purge' out of Washington. Michele Bachman is a woman of integrity, character, and honor. She needs to remove herself from this venue and gather more details of the "real" tea party groups and candidates.”

Jefferson County Tea Party -- “Big spending Republicans that voted to increase the size and scope of Government during the Bush years are part of the problem, not the solution. During the Bush years Congressman Blunt voted for the Prescription Drug Bill, bloated farm bills, TARP, and many other spending bills that grew the size of the government. Recently, he voted for Cash For Clunkers (4 Billion Dollars) and then voted a 2nd time to increase the program by another 2 BILLION dollars. Congressman Blunt and President Obama are two of the top ten recipients of donations from Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, which were the main cause of the financial meltdown. If posing as a fiscal conservative were a crime, Roy Blunt would be on top 10 wanted list. The Tea Party loves Michele Bachman, but we feel she has been seriously misinformed if she thinks the tea party is a supporter of Congressman Blunt.”

K & N Patriots -- “K & N Patriots has not endorsed Roy Blunt for the U.S. Senate. Any representation that we have is incorrect. We would view it as engaging in "the same old politics" and an attempt to deliberately mislead our members and Tea Party voters at large. K & N Patriots does NOT endorse or campaign for candidates. In addition it is our opinion that those who believe in Tea Party values do not admire strategies 'cooked up' by slick, overpaid political consultants with the objective of misleading or fooling voters. That's precisely what Tea Party organizations and their supporters are trying to GET RID OF! We would advise Michele Bachmann and all candidates who agree with independent conservative values to avoid being involved in such activities.”

MID MO 9/12 Patriots -- “Roy Blunt is not a true Conservative. He is the Number one taker of donations from Freddie and Fannie, he voted for TARP, and convinced other Republicans to vote for TARP as well. He is not a true Conservative and he has not and will continue to not uphold our Constitution, both State and U.S. We sponsor no candidates but if you were to sponsor someone, (name deleted) is the one to sponsor. The Tea Party is not the Republicans to claim. This is the citizen’s movement and we will not stand for any politicians to try to use us for their own political gain.”

Missouri As A MOM -- “The Missouri As A Mom organization does NOT endorse any candidate nor any political party. Our Mission Statement includes the 9 Principles and 12 Values of all 9/12 groups. We support 'Boldly speaking out against deficit spending' as stated in our Mission Statement. Law makers who voted FOR 'TARP' and 'Cash for Clunkers' are NOT against deficit spending. It would be in Rep. Bachmann's best interests to remain NEUTRAL until after the August 3rd Missouri Primary since she herself has a record of voting against deficit spending.”

*Missouri Sovereignty Project -- "The Missouri Sovereignty Project supports all candidates who sign its pledge to uphold and support the Bill of Rights' 10th Amendment. Both Republican Senate candidates Mr. Blunt and Mr. Purgason have done so. If a poll of over 720 of our 1,800 members and the voting public (http://www.missourisovereigntyproject.com/us-senate.html) is a testament to which of these gentlemen more closely adheres to constitutional principles, Mr. Purgason, by a 71% to 29% margin, would be their choice.

"We have a tremendous amount of respect for Congresswoman Michele Bachmann and look to her steadfast national leadership in the Tea Party cause. The Missouri Sovereignty Project is perplexed that she would publically participate in campaign efforts on behalf of Mr. Blunt, thereby rejecting the potential Tea Party credentials of all other candidates. We join Tea Party groups across the great state of Missouri in asking Ms. Bachmann to reconsider her August 31 fundraising efforts for Mr. Blunt."

Sikeston Tea Party -- “We, in the Sikeston Tea Party, do not endorse or even want Roy Blunt for our next Senator. We do not appreciate Michelle Bachman coming here as a representative of the Tea Party and making that endorsement and campaigning for him. She does not represent the views of the Sikeston Tea Party on this issue.”

Springfield 912ers -- “We invited Roy Blunt to attend a Missouri U.S. Senatorial Candidate Townhall, along with all other 17 candidates in the race. Mr. Blunt did not respond.”

SW MO Conservative Network -- “We invited Congressman Blunt to several of our meetings over the last year and were told by his scheduler that he would not attend a candidate forum until after the Primary.”

Sullivan 912 Group -- “Our word for those who are endorsing others: One should really check out the candidate's representation of his area and the desire of the constituents before jumping on board to endorse one of their playmates. That makes grassroots wonder if we should maybe look into our 'misplaced' trust a little more thoroughly. One who uses grassroots tea party groups and our strength, to push forward their own agenda, and to build public support for their cause, is not playing with the standard routine playmates. We are more knowledgeable of the game and know when we are being hoodwinked. This is not to say that, occasionally your cause may fit with our agenda. We may like the message, but not support the messenger. Thanks, but no thanks.”

Say what one will, the statements above should catch the attention of a lot of Missouri politicians -- especially Roy Blunt!

Vote wisely, Missourians!

[Man50D]

Tea Party groups shouldn’t endorse any candidates! The Tea Party movement wasn’t formed to support individual candidates! It was created to return the country to the Constitution, restoring limited government principles and addressing those issues that threaten the Constitution. Supporting candidates should be done outside Tea Party functions. The Tea party movement is losing focus and is incrementally being folded back into the OP(formerly the GOP).

[imfrmdixie]

I have no idea what the tea party stands for anymore as it gets lost in this infernal grouping of people into small herds of sheep. I thought it was all about giving the people a voice...directed at ALL political candidates and those already in office. I thought it was about giving us the information we need on making intelligent and informed decisions on which candidate supports the Constitution and the records of those that prove they support the Constitution. The media wins again....it has managed to give groups of people the misguided belief that THEY, too, control the vote...instead of allowing each individual to control their own vote. I am just about to give up.....I am beginning to believe this country is lost because I don’t trust the American people to have the stamina and fortitude it takes to take the control away from the Washington criminals.

[Raider Sam]

Bingo!

Also, it looks like some of the “local Tea Party” groups are just mad Blunt didnt visit them.

[SoFloFreeper]

So the people of the Tea Party are NOT a bunch of monolithic, one horse pony, espousers of GROUPTHINK?!!??!!

You mean, the people of the Tea Party can THINK FOR THEMSELVES?!

Oh my God. That is the REAL story—not that “28” groups who call themselves Tea Partiers decline to endorse Blunt.

Someone alert the media—they’ll report it as soon as they’re done with their daily noon prayer to Obama.

[SoFloFreeper]

sorry...”one horse pony” should have been “one trick pony”. My enthusiasm to post over-rode my fingers. :)

[Pete]

Roy Blunt presided over the liberalization of the Republican party in the House in the last 10 years. He is one of the guys who needs to be replaced.

[listenhillary]

Hear Hear!

Bachman needs to back off. While she is admirable in many cases, she is not a leader of the tea party and I don’t recognize her has being a tea party leader.

[Anitius Severinus Boethius]

I have no idea what the tea party stands for anymore

That's because there is no singular "tea party". There is a tea party movement.

I am so ready to be lambasted again for saying this, but there are only three general points that unites the movement.

First, we are being over taxed. Second, that our tax money is being squandered. Third, that our elected officials are not listening to the voters.

This isn't a "conservative" movement as no specific issues are at stake here. Social issues are completely irrelevant to the movement as a whole.

Each area of the country has different economic and social values and thus each "tea party" is different as well.

If any candidate (of any party) were to run on:

I will lower your taxes.
I will spend your tax money wisely.
You will always get attention when you call or e-mail my office.

They will win in a walk in most places.

[ThePatriotsFlag]

Tea Parties SHOULD NOT ENDORSE CANDIDATES (you are absolutely correct).

We've kept our group "pure" to the Mission statement and the core values of the Tea Party movement. Here is how we are doing it, notice Newsletter #2.

Bluffton Tea Party Patriots - Call to action Newsletter #2

Seeing the "endorsements" shows how easily people stray and become TARGETS to the opposition. The most recent example is the Tea Party Caucus discussing a resolution for Israel ... where is that in the Mission and Core Values? No wonder people are confused. People see the POWER of the Tea Party Movement and hijack it for their own purposes. Our local Republican Club's president became a nearby Tea Party Group's "leader" ... they only have rallies for Republicans. This totally destroys the foundation of the movement. If you are a Republican booster, fine, join the local Republican Club.

However, if you want Less Government, Fiscal Responsibility, etc ...(see mission and core values here)... then you join the Tea Party Group. And if, on your local ticket, the DEMOCRAT has a better record for your values, then you vote for the DEMOCRAT! Heresy? I darned sure didn't vote for Lindsey Graham in the last election, I voted for a Democrat (don't even remember his name, but he could have been no worse than Graham!)

[Eagle of Liberty]

I voted for a Democrat (don't even remember his name, but he could have been no worse than Graham!)

While Graham is NO favorite of mine, I think we at least have to be a little wise with reality right now. If the core values of the Tea Party Movement are:

- Lower taxes or reform the tax code
- Learn how to be a fiscal steward of the American citizens' money
- Do not legislate as Elitists, but listen to your constituents

then there is currently only ONE political party who is even remotely attempting to do any of those. Getting rid of Graham would be great. Replacing him with just one more Dem Senate vote would be stupid because maybe I have missed something, but I do not see where ANY Dem Senator has not been towing EXACTLY to Reid's agenda. Even the so-called Conservative Democrats who were elected in 2006 have voted non-conservatively in every instance.

What I would propose is for every freedom loving American to join the local, county or state Republican Party in your area and direct the change from within. Get those Tea Party Movement values set as operating principles for future candidates. The Republican Party is only going to change if we affect that change. And I target the Republican Party because the Democrat Party is currently FAR AWAY from any limited Government principles.

[Eagle of Liberty]

So who is a good alternative?

Republican Davis Ronald Conwey

Republican Antonio Eugene “Tony” Laszacs

Republican Hector Maldonado

Republican Kristi Nichols

Republican Robert L. “Bob” Praprotnik

Republican state Senator Charles Allen “Chuck” Purgason

Republican Deborah Solomon

Republican Michael Alan “Mike” Vontz

Constitution Jerry Garth Beck

Constitution Joseph “Joe” Martellaro

Constitution Michael Arthur “Mike” Simmons, Jr.

Libertarian Jonathan Dine

Libertarian; (Boston Tea) Cisse Spragins

Progressive Party of Missouri Midge Potts

Independent Theodis Brown, Sr.

Write-in Frazier Glenn “Glenn” Miller, Jr.

[ThePatriotsFlag]

You are missing my point concerning voting against Graham and for an "unknown" Democrat. With the Democrat YOU KNOW WHAT YOU ARE GETTING. It is ALL WRONG, but it is "honest" ... with Graham, he says he's a conservative then votes for Kagen ... you DO NOT KNOW what you are getting. So in terms of credibility ... the Democrat was more credible. When you have a choice between 2 people, and BOTH believe the same things, but one is a proven liar ... forgetting Party who do you vote for? The liar or the honest person, (no matter how misguided)? The other choice is not to vote, which is not acceptable to me.

But when you start "eliminating" the Democrat party ... you are alienating DEMOCRATS that have moved to the Tea Party. The "tea party" is NOT a Republican forum as you are assuming. We have many Democrats who have joined us in our local group ... its sort of like "AA" sometimes with them telling "why" they made a mistake. But they WILL NOT become Republicans ... and if you try to force that, they will leave. These people have found a "new home" in the Tea Party where we WILL NOT make them pledge alligience to the Republican Party.

I'm not going to commit as to whether the Republican or Democrat party represents me. It is none of YOUR business or anybody elses'. I will make my decision in the voting booth based on the KNOWLEDGE I have at the moment of decision. But I'm not about to "support" a party ... both have let us down badly. It was the LACK of leadership of the Republican Party that allowed this MESS to happen to us. Had they been strong, and followed their conservative principals rather than being "bipartisan" and "newsworthy", we wouldn't be struggling with saving the nation. I don't blame the Democrats as much. They are what they are, they don't deny it. But the Republicans say they are one thing and history proves them another.

The only party line I intend to follow is the Tea Party line.

[dixie_flyer]

Roy Blunt voted for Medicare Part D, which added $15 trillion of dollars of unfunded liabilities which cannot possibly be paid for; he voted to bail out his banking buddies via the $700 billion TARP bailout; and he voted for Cash for clunkers...he claims to be a fiscal conservative but his voting record belies his words...he is an embarrassment to the people of Missouri and is unfit for public office...I’m voting for Chuck Purgason, who offers a refreshing alternative to those of us who want some fiscal conservatism in Washington

[Eagle of Liberty]

I'm not going to commit as to whether the Republican or Democrat party represents me. It is none of YOUR business or anybody elses'.

Cool. Fine. Didn't ask you to. But, currently, please name me ONE Democrat Senator that is standing up to ANY of the Big Government legislation. At least Graham stands up to some of it, not much, but some of it. I truly see him as a lapdog and would love for a conservative to unseat him.

But when you start "eliminating" the Democrat party ... you are alienating DEMOCRATS that have moved to the Tea Party. The "tea party" is NOT a Republican forum as you are assuming.

I AM NOT eliminating the Democrat Party and I love Democrats that join the Tea Party Movement. The Democrat Party eliminated itself and is alienating Democrat voters. The Movement got its voice precisely in response to what the Democrat Party has been legislating while in control of both the legislative and executive wings of Govt.

I am completely with you on being let down by the Republican Party and I sincerely have lost much trust for them over the years, but in 2010 and in 2012, if we don't get elected the most conservative candidates (an overwhelming majority of those conservatives being Republicans) that can be elected to both houses of Congress and give them at least one more chance to get it right, we are really gonna be screwed.

I have posted this in other places, so I will post it here as well. It relates to how both parties have let us down:

House Control - Held exclusively by the Democrats for all but FOUR YEARS from 1933 to 1995

Senate Control - Held exclusively by the Democrats for all but TEN YEARS from 1933 to 1995

At NO TIME did the Republicans hold a veto proof or filibuster proof majority during those years in which they held control.

MANY TIMES during that time period the Democrats held by veto proof and filibuster proof majorities!

I don't blame the Democrats as much. They are what they are, they don't deny it.

THEY DO DENY IT! They run as conservatives during election campaigns or at least try to cover up as much of their big government leanings as possible and then when elected, run swiftly to the left.

[Mozilla]

“Tea Party groups shouldn’t endorse any candidates! The Tea Party movement wasn’t formed to support individual candidates!”

And yet they do...don’t they... well some do anyways. Woman who was on the Glenn Beck representing one group said her and her group did not endorse candidates. But the first thing out of another guest was all about the need to endorse and that they help to get the word out on their picks.

[Mozilla]

In fact, Glenn Beck said something which was true. Each group like the 9/12 and Tea party nation have sub chapters in local communities so a lot of the times those chapters will endorse candidates. This becomes a mess if say two different groups endorse two different candidates or if the sub chapter endorses someone other than the person endorsed national group. As such it becomes a mess.

[Artemis Webb]

So when it’s Roy Blunt vs Robin Carnahan for Senate on Wednesday morning who are you going to support?

[Conservativegreatgrandma]

Do you really feel good about voting for a Democrat? That is cutting off your nose to spite your face.

So you like Harry Reid as Majority Leader and you call yourself a conservative. I hope you rethink your strategy next time.

The time to take out Graham is in a primary. After that, it's too late unless you're wanting to help Obama.

[Artemis Webb]

Oh and welcome to FR.
Did you just sign up to shill for baldy and you’ll leave as soon as the primaries are over?