The TEA Party started out as an fiscal conservative group, and TEA stood for Taxed Enough Already. Just how did it also become a social conservative movement?
Now please note, I'm not against this, but it puzzles me that it now is focused in this direction, as if the media wanted it to, and didn't want the movement to really emphasize these fiscal/government spending/taxes aspect, as they would have a much harder time defending against it.
I think it's a trap, personally.
The media likes to wrap up all our important points into a nice little homophobic, racist bow. Notice how the meme of the week's news is the Oklahoma University fraternity, rather than Hillary or Obama?
The tea party has always been made up (naturally) of the more religious, more conservative Americans, which also means social conservative.
If the Republicans cave on gay marriage and go all in for it and kowtow to the gay mafia they are done in 2016. Evangelical voters will vote third party or sit out the election. Without these votes the GOP loses period, they cannot pull enough independents and democrats to make up for the evangelicals. If the GOP caves on gay marriage or abortion they are done.