[upsdriver]

Then we're screwed, because what I saw of the Tea Party in 2012 was pretty weak.

2012 wasn't a Tea Party campaign. It was a Romney campaign. One that chose to shut out the voice of the tea party. 2014 will be another Tea Party election and if we work hard and succeed in controlling the presidential nomination, 2016 will also be a tea party campaign. Palin '16!

[LS]

That's weak logic. First, the Tea Party supposedly is apart from the GOP so it should not b dependent on what any candidate is doing. Second the Tea Party was extremely active in getting Moudock nominated, and was active in the Steelman/Akin race, both of which were losses.

Third, some of the earlier successes have been regressing. Rubio is pushing the Dream Act, while Rand Paul has started saying some pretty un conservative things.

Cruz was a definite victory. But Jeff Flake is a serious step backward from Kyl. I don't' know if the Tea Party backed Flake but I assume they did as Palin did.