Posted on 01/28/2012 2:54:50 AM PST by Cincinatus' Wife
In throwing their support to Newt Gingrich, a group of Florida tea party leaders risk throwing away their clout and credibility, observers of the movement say.
"The Florida Tea Party Coalition With Newt" endorsed the former House speaker on Thursday, saying they would "help defeat Massachusetts Moderate Mitt Romney and then President Barack Obama."
“It is clear to me and many others in the tea party movement that Newt is the Reagan conservative that America needs,” said Peter Lee, founder and director of the East Side Tea Party of Orlando.
Lee was joined by statewide tea leader Patricia Sullivan, who said, “I stand with Newt because I know he will stand up to the establishment and insist on fiscal reforms."
In all, more than 30 Florida-based tea activists signed on to the coalition. The geographically diverse representatives ranged from the Panhandle to Broward County.
Separately, the TEA Party of Florida, the only political tea party registered with the state Division of Elections, endorsed Gingrich.
Chairman John Long said Gingrich "articulated direct and serious steps designed to reduce spending, cut our deficits, pay down our national debt, and return liberty to our citizens in doing so."
But the endorsements may be too little and too late for the former House speaker, whose poll numbers in Florida have slumped amid two lackluster debate performances on Monday and Thursday.
Meanwhile, Gingrich continues to mystify and anger conservatives as he panders on illegal immigration and rationalizes his $1.6 million contract with Freddie Mac while adopting populist poses that resemble left-wing class warfare.
Still, some tea party leaders, fearing the growing inevitability of Romney as the GOP nominee, felt they had to take a stand before Tuesday's Florida primary. Romney is perceived as the "establishment candidate" and widely distrusted by tea party groups, who have received little or no attention from the former Massachusetts governor.
Billie Tucker, leader of the First Coast Tea Party in Jacksonville, is not endorsing any candidates, but acknowledges Gingrich has strong appeal in the movement.
Gingrich won 43 percent of the 322 votes cast in a First Coast straw poll on Jan. 17. Ron Paul received 26 percent, Romney garnered 19 percent and Rick Santorum netted 10 percent.
Gingrich's ties to the tea party movement are deep and long-lasting.
In March 2009, when tea parties were just beginning to be organized, the Georgian pledged to use his prodigious mailing list at American Solutions to publicize the inaugural Tax Day event.
He posted a link on every website he owned, sent emails to everyone in his database and produced a video while publicly announcing his support of the tea party movement -- long before radio talkers like Glenn Beck jumped on the bandwagon.
Sullivan, who chairs a statewide tea group called the Tea Party Network, is repaying the favor by mobilizing her Lake County-based "Patriot Army" on Gingrich's behalf.
"Once I decided to support Newt, I got to work and took a group of Patriot Army members to South Carolina where we walked precincts for three days, then waved signs at the polls," Sullivan said. Around the State
* Hollywood invites public to view redistricting options * Legislative and congressional maps set for House debate * Confusion feared since ballots bear names of presidential contenders no longer in race * Be prepared for Tuesday's primary election in Martin County * Proposal allowing school bus ads travels through Florida House * Poll: Texting while driving must be banned * Obama holds fundraiser with American Indians * NC gov's exit shakes up vote on gay marriage ban * Romney's forceful body language scores in debate * Sarasota-Manatee tourism officials pleased at funding levels
Then she returned to Florida, where she set up a Gingrich rally at Mount Dora.
"Time for talk is over, we need to be about action. That is why I actively support the candidate I believe will stand up to the establishment and rein in spending," she said.
Explaining the mechanics of the coalition endorsement, Sullivan said, "The leaders and members will share their views with their tea party and actively work to get out the vote for Newt."
"I don't believe another candidate has a coalition of tea party leaders willing to get out and work for their candidate, but I could be wrong."
Sullivan, who previously supported Herman Cain, said the Tea Party Network is not involved in the endorsement.
Some say the tea endorsement is a risky move, coming after other tea party favorites -- Cain, Michele Bachmann and Rick Perry -- each exited the race amid controversy or anemic polls.
"If Gingrich loses, the tea party is over," predicted one veteran tea party activist from South Florida. "If he loses, what does that show you about the clout of the tea party?"
The activist, who spoke on condition of anonymity, cast his early ballot for Ron Paul this week. "He stands for what we stood for in 2009."
A former executive with the Florida TEA (Taxed Enough Already) Party doubts that the coalition backing will help Gingrich much.
"Far more influential was the endorsement of the reconstituted TEA Party of Florida. That tea party has a much-desired email list of over 100,000 opt-in participants. And, unlike the self-pronounced 'tea party coalition,' it has a track record of actually receiving votes for candidates," said Doug Guetzloe, an Orlando-based political consultant who has returned to the Republican Party.
"The 'coalition tea party' backing is one of the last acts of an inflated collection of egos," Guetzloe said. "Their endorsement will make no difference."
Some tea activists steered clear of endorsing out of concern that they might run afoul of election laws or tax codes. Others simply disagree with Gingrich politically.
Gingrich's infamous couch talk with Nancy Pelosi about "global warming" and his dismissal of Rep. Paul Ryan's entitlement reforms as "right-wing social engineering" fly in the face of conservative orthodoxy.
Illustrating the fractious character of the tea movement, Steve Vernon, vice president of Tea Party Manatee, signed on to the Gingrich coalition, even though Rick Santorum won a straw poll conducted by his group before the South Carolina primary.
Vernon said he and others in his Gulf Coast tea party consider Santorum a "bigger government guy" who repeatedly voted for earmarks as a two-term Pennsylvania senator.
"Some say he can't win," Vernon added.
"We could have a totally different outcome this week. It's still up in the air," Vernon said, emphasizing that the Gingrich tea coalition is made up of individuals, and not binding on groups.
Several large tea organizations remain unaligned. In addition to Tucker's First Coast Tea Party, sizable tea and patriot organizations in Naples, Englewood and Venice are absent from the coalition. The combined membership of these groups is estimated at 15,000.
Still, Tucker does not dispute or begrudge the coalition's action.
"They have chosen to stand up for their guy and that is their decision," she said.
Danita Kilcullen is less sanguine about the process. The chairwoman of Tea Party Fort Lauderdale said she is "appalled" at the endorsements for Gingrich.
"The tea party, of all people, should be aware of his globalist, progressive agenda. He would be my absolute last pick."
Beyond that, Kilcullen said endorsements can create unnecessary "splits and hard feelings" within tea parties.
"Our group overwhelmingly supports Santorum, but it's not right to endorse," she said.
Tea Party Express, a national organization, is holding off on a presidential endorsement, but that could change before Tuesday.
"The movement is coalescing around Gingrich," Amy Kremer, president of Tea Party Express, told Sunshine State News. She said former Rep. J.C. Watts would be standing in for Gingrich at the group's rally in Jacksonville on Saturday.
Kevin Wagner, a political science professor at Florida Atlantic University, said Gingrich is a good fit on at least one level.
"Mitt Romney has never been popular with tea party groups, so it is fairly predictable that they would move toward the most viable non-Romney," Wagner noted.
"With that said, Newt Gingrich has a confrontational style that taps into the anger that many tea party members have. He is a natural candidate on an emotional level, if not a policy one, for the tea party supporters."
Contact Kenric Ward at kward@sunshinestatenews.com or at (772) 801-5341.
This dimwit misses the point about the Tea Party. They aren’t about political positioning. They are about honesty in supporting traditional America, the Constitution, limited government and candidates who believe in the same. That would NOT include Willard.
Exactly, they are not political operatives.
I hate to break it to the authors of this article but the Tea Party has Been soundly Mauled in this Primary season.
If you cant see that your totally blind,Sarah palin has an Article on Facebook today full of sound and fury pointing out this very fact,she also ends it with a Question, exposing the Fact that There is no Place for the Tea Party to go.Its as dead as this Country is,Romney will be Soundly Defeated. This is a Fact we have to come to grips with and realize we are faced with the Horror of living through the end of Our country under Obama. I for one would llike to shove it up Romneys ass by having a Third Party candidate run from the Tea Party to Insure the Bastards Misery for the next year,seeing his Last Oppurtunity for Glory Doomed by the people he has Screwed his entire life. If we have to see our country die at least we can get some revenge.
Now go ahead and Rant because I dont give A DAMN
I am behind Newt idealogically...no doubt about it.
I am bothered though by this past ten days on the grind. It is wearing him down and it shows. The sparkle in the eye as he twists the well-aimed and much needed knives is missing.
In its place is a clumsier, somewhat lethargic, occasionally flummoxed and suddenly over-weight old man. I am genuinely afraid for his health and I believe that Romney, who will use any weapon, will play on it, both for political and literal effect.
The marathon mean season has just begun....you gotta be in shape....he's not.
Extremes will get you no where. Teaparty is looking for the best candidate to win and someone they can work with to restore what we have lost, remove what has been in unconstitutionaly shuved down our thrats and put us on the right track for the future.
I call that backbone.
This writer has a lot to learn about the Tea Party.
Any body have any links to the Jacksonville rally?
I agree. I didn’t watch the debate on Thursday Depressed as hell on Friday until I listened to Newt on Hannity in the afternoon and from reading spots from fellow Freepers that cheered me up.
I can’t believe that the 900K votes out there that went for McCain last time are going to go to Romney.
The people are enthused about Newt. The crowds are great. Why are his poll numbers so down? What is going on here?
People of Florida, Romney says he’s fire a manager who proposed investing in a lunar colony. Then he goes to Nasa and says he doesn’t have a plan.
Do we have some disconnect going on? Newt speaks the language of vision and hope that WAS our great space program. Romney speaks money, status quo and failure.
ARe there any FREEPERS from Florida on here this morning that give us some perspective of what is going on down there?
Links to Jacksonville?
See my tagline.
I agree. I didn’t watch the debate on Thursday Depressed as hell on Friday until I listened to Newt on Hannity in the afternoon and from reading spots from fellow Freepers that cheered me up.
I can’t believe that the 900K votes out there that went for McCain last time are going to go to Romney.
The people are enthused about Newt. The crowds are great. Why are his poll numbers so down? What is going on here?
People of Florida, Romney says he’s fire a manager who proposed investing in a lunar colony. Then he goes to Nasa and says he doesn’t have a plan.
Do we have some disconnect going on? Newt speaks the language of vision and hope that WAS our great space program. Romney speaks money, status quo and failure.
ARe there any FREEPERS from Florida on here this morning that give us some perspective of what is going on down there?
There was a rally yesterday with JC Watts. Anyone have a link to it or was there?
J.C. Watts: Don't count my vote for McCain
A Republican in King Obama's court; J.C. Watts celebrates too (with Video)
Meh... screw them both.
Newt is only slightly more palatable than Wrongney. They’re both big-government cheerleaders, they’re both globalists, they’re both in favor of single-payor health insurance, they’re both morally questionable, and they’re both on the wrong side of the issue that will kill America: amnesty.
No thanks.
Hi Onyx,
If I’m not mistaken, the TPX is not taking a stand and supporting Newt. There is no mention of it in their info about the rally.
I just wrote and ripped ‘em. What is the purpose of rallying to possibly support ...NOONE?
To remain “neutral” to be “fair to everyone” is self defeating at this juncture.
Have a neutral rally later but for now, Newt needs their help.
And if they respond that they don’t endorse, well change the rules.
Okay, just saw that Newt is going to appear at a TP rally today. Feel better!
Very true, but there are people that are more active than others.
In my area there is a local gun shop and the owner and his wife work tirelessly for the TEA party organizing rallys and events.
While they are not the King and Queen of the local TEA party, if some one doesn't show initiative and organize, then there never would have been a TEA party movement to ignite people's passions.
While there are no "elected officials" there are, as in any group of like minded people, leaders, and they are leading by taking the reins and driving, not by being voted for by the followers {I am a follower in this TEA party, and don't mind donating and being lead}.
I'm too old and tired to jump into the lead, but every army needs it's foot soldiers, and I'm proud to be one of those, just a red-necked, gun toten', Bible thumpen', tobacco chewen', bigot, homo-phobe from the ridges of Western Pennsylvania.
I'm a Newster, but if the mittens gets the nod, I'll become persona non grata here at FR but I'll leave without causing disruption, but I will not surrender to obama.
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