Kenneth Vogel, Politico: Jubilant tea party eyes GOP with suspicion

[highplainsdem]

http://www.politico.com/news/stories/1110/44625.html

Jubilant tea party eyes GOP with suspicion
By KENNETH P. VOGEL | 11/3/10 7:33 AM EDT Updated: 11/3/10 8:16 AM EDT

Emerging from its first election with a string of major victories – and two glaring defeats – leaders of the tea party movement wasted no time claiming credit and taking names, signaling to the Republican establishment that they intend to remake the GOP, not merely help it regain power in Washington.

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“We succeeded far beyond what anybody would have predicted. We’ve completely changed the complexion of American politics,” said Sal Russo, a veteran GOP operative who founded the Tea Party Express political action committee, which played a critical role in securing the GOP nominations for Angle, O’Donnell, and Joe Miller of Alaska, whose race has not been decided.

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He and other key tea party organizers are already looking ahead to the 2012 presidential race (with Russo signaling a preference for Sarah Palin), and also plotting primary challenges against Republican lawmakers deemed to be out of step with the movement’s small government principles.

Oft-cited targets include incumbent Sens. Orrin Hatch of Utah, Kay Bailey Hutchison of Texas, Olympia Snowe of Maine and Roger Wicker of Mississippi and any newly elected House Republicans deemed to have departed from pledges to adhere to tea party principles.

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The article has gloating from Dick Armey and other Tea Party troglodytes, including another FreedomWorks spokesman talking about the Tea Party simply becoming a third party if they aren't able to take over the GOP.

Good. Let the jackals tear each other apart and get Crazy Sarah the GOP presidential nomination, then shatter the GOP when they leave, after guaranteeing a Democratic victory in 2012.

[highplainsdem]

1. Kick.

GOP infighting is good news for us.