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FL: Tea party groups steer clear of GOP branded candidates

By   /   July 17, 2012  /   4 Comments

By Yaël Ossowski | Florida Watchdog

GOP U.S. Rep. Sandy Adams has received significant tea party support in her primary battle against U.S. Rep. John Mica.

TAMPA — With the election season intensifying, candidates are looking to the mass collection of tea party groups statewide for support and endorsements.

In nearly all of Florida’s 67 counties, there are more than 100 tea party groups, among other concerned citizen groups, according to FloridaTeaParty.net, which bills itself as the “grassroots hub” of the state’s Tea Party movement.

“A lot of candidates come to us and ask for endorsements,” West Orlando Tea Party President Ron McCoy told Florida Watchdog.

“The question we ask is: where have you guys been the last three years?”

Everett Wilkinson, chairman of the South Florida Tea Party, said the anti-incumbent sentiment that has taken root in Florida has allowed many more individuals to participate in the political process and choose more appropriate candidates typically shunned by party insiders.

Everett Wilkinson

“The GOP establishment is not really able to push their candidates as much as they used to,” said Wilkinson.

“People are looking to doing their own research on candidates, and they aren’t necessarily following the whims of the party leaders in the big cities.”

Wilkinson added that this robust grassroots movement has grown to become a powerful force in Florida politics.

“We’re way bigger than people realize; the mainstream media doesn’t recognize that. We’re still fired up, and I believe you’ll see it in the fall,” said McCoy.

“When we see that 70 percent or 80 percent of the country frustrated with Congress, I think the tea party has a vital role — talking about fiscal responsibility and ending crony capitalism.”

“Candidates are starting to listen and it’s encouraging,” added McCoy.

Tom Tillison

“In most races, there isn’t much of a question where the tea party will line up,” said Central Florida Tea Party founder and Florida Political Press editor Tom Tillison.

Tea party power is evident in the high-profile Republican primary battle in the newly configured 7th Congressional District, featuring incumbent U.S. Rep. John Mica and 24th district U.S. Rep. Sandy Adams, who had represented District 24 but was redrawn into Mica’s district during the redistricting process.

U.S. Rep. John Mica

The race recently was boosted when Adams received the endorsement of former Republican vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin.

“An endorsement by Sarah Palin, who has a huge following, does sway opinions because it solidifies the conservative credential of the candidate in question,” explained Tillison.

Deana Rohlinger, associate professor of sociology at Florida State University in Tallahassee, has studied the rise of tea party movements in the state and attributes their overall success to their philosophical rigidity and universal disenchantment with the “beltway politics” of Washington, D.C., politicians.

“Florida’s tea party groups are actually much more protective about the core ideas than other tea party groups around the country,” said Rohlinger.

“They are very careful of outside groups, especially from the outside, which hope to poach or co-opt the movement. Members are very savvy and truly hope to be able to influence the political party to their own liking,” she said.

“The groups have gotten people way more interested in electoral politics.”

 

 

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Yaël Ossowski

  • http:florida.tenthamendmentcenter.com andrew nappi

    The Tea Parties are still trapped in the Democrats bad, Republicans good paradigm. They have not held one Florida member of the House accountable for their yes votes to the arrest and military detention of US citizens under NDAA, the infringement on the right to assemble and protest under HR347/SB1794, or patriot act extensions. Sandy Adams has voted to violate the Bill of Rights with all of these and more, and yet she is a Tea Party favorite? What happened to their “restore the constitution” mantra. This will be their last election cycle of any relevance. Their alliance with the GOP which has failed to limit government, shrink government, advance civil liberties and bring any kind of end to the perpetual welfare warfare state has sealed their end.

  • Remy Curtis

    Article is very true, but Adams is going to get trounced. Flagler Tea Party groups are some of the strongest in the country, they could have had Sandy Adams represent them for 20 years, but instead she’s run a ridiculously negative campaign and getting shellacked in her poll and Mica’s polls, respectively.

    I am a fan of the Tea Party, but sheer anger doesn’t mean you win automatically. The John Mica’s of the world are productive for their districts, and thus will always be elected.

    In closing, let me state again, I am Tea Party, but I’m also a realist.

  • Joe Doyle

    Andrews answer to his assertion that Tea Party activist cannot hold republicans accountable is to support John Mica. I laughed so hard when I read it, I almost peed myself. I hope Mr Mica really believes the BS his team is shoveling. It will make for a very nice surprise on primary day. Count out the grass roots at your own peril. I’m sure that Arlen Specter and Dick Lugar thought the same. Where are they now? Curtis seems to want folks to believe he has some measure of respect for Tea Party activist, but his comments betray that. With Mr Mica’s campaign paying folks to make personal attacks on Adams on any and every blog and news forum there is, it’s safe to say these are two of the three stooges, Mica being the third. Tea Party or not, folks who know John Mica requested over $4,000,000,000 in earmarks during his tenure when the national debt rose by $11,000,000,000,000 will toss him to the wayside quicker than the Orlando Sentinel makes it to the bottom of the bird cage. Washington is broken, and the electorate believes that big spending entrenched power brokers who love to drop wasteful earmarks in expensive legislation our grandchildren will be paying for are responsible for breaking it. Adams biggest supporters are an educated electorate. Mica’s biggest supporters are special interest and “friends of John” who personally benefit from the waste all taxpayers are stuck with the tab for. I suggest you both do not wait until August 15th to look for jobs. You may want to get a leg up on the rest of team mica.

  • Jim Lampe

    The most glaring exception to this article is the US Senate race where the Tea Party has jumped onboard the AFP and Freedomworks bandwagon to endorse uber-establsihment, and professional politician Connie Mack, who spends a lot of his time in California.

    The Tea Party complains about not being able to find conservative grassroots candidates, then when they have the ideal candidate, they do not support them!

    So next election, what grassroots person would be crazy enough to run, after they see the lackluster support Stuart is getting?