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Well, like it or not, this race is narrowing down to Newt vs Romney.

And all you’ve got to do is look at their records:

Newt Gingrich: A pro-life Reganite who as Speaker of the House led the Republican Revolution, took the majority away from the democrats who had held it for 40 years, passed the Contract with America, cut taxes, cut regulations, cut the deficit, cut unemployment, balanced the budget (four years running), reformed welfare, blocked Clinton’s agenda, blocked a socialist healthcare system (HillaryCare). Not a bad conservative record.

Mitt Romney: A Reagan denying, abortion defending, moderate (leftist) Ted Kennedy ally whose crowning achievement is passing an Obama-like socialist healthcare system (RomneyCare), an achievement he still prides himself on today. He saddled his state with tax payer funded abortion, gay marriage, gun-control, liberal activist judges, budget busting big government programs, mandates against individuals and a destroyed Republican brand. Not a conservative record at all.

The record is clear, the choice is clear. If left to Newt vs Mitt, this tea partyer is all in with Newt. Don’t know where Kremer is, cause it’s a no brainer.

Mitt happens.

It's not because of the tea party movement, it's because there hasn't been that candidate out there so far that has stirred the passion — the fire in the belly," said Amy Kremer, president of the Tea Party Express.

I've been waiting for the trite 2008 "fire in the belly" remarks. Regardless, whether you like his policies and philosophy on a variety of issues, Gingrich appears to be one of the few with critical thinking and communication skills driving his candidacy with any chance of winning. By comparison, most of the others are flying under the radar.

Stepping back, (and I am the Tea Party Leader so I can make such observations), the choices are being made for us as to which "conservative candidate" we should support. The article is correct, there isn't a lot of choice. I'm predicting "luke-warm" Tea Party support for any of the present field. But all of us in the Tea Party need to shift focus to the Senate and House contests. If we can control those houses, we can control any president. Look how taking the Senate has crippled Obama ... he's no longer "running" he's "hobbling". The Tea Party's focus must shift to the local contests ... these are closer to where the voters are and can be influenced more significantly than the media controlled national election. Typical Tea Party support and excitement will ignite the local contests.

Example: in S Carolina, if Graham were up for election (and he is not) ... where would the tea party focus? On Romney/Gingrich/Bachmann or on shutting down Graham? In this example, passion for the national election would pale to the fire and determination in the local election. I'm sure there are similar examples in many of the active local contests.

As the election draws near and the top slots are placed "for" us ... we will turn to what we can truly control ... the local elections. I predict the power of the Tea Party will be felt in this election at the local level where real power resides and where individuals still are more powerful than the media.