Tea Party failed when “Tea Party” in San Francisco supports a rally supporting Mitt Romney, when many “Tea Party” politicans sold out (after mere months!), and when many so called “Tea Party” leaders in swing-states voted for and supported Mitt Romney in the Republican Primary!
Many Tea Party pols were effectively bought when Romney organizations contributed to their campaigns.
There is still one other candidate in the primary race, and his followers are getting a lot of delegates sent to the convention, so maybe things won’t be so easy for Romney as he thinks they will be.