In early 2011 after the Tea Party routed Washington and State Houses, the number of people that identified with the Tea Party or its ideals was estimated at 70 million. This data was taken from the exploding donor lists to various Tea Party groups. It was a huge shock to the political establishment to see that the Tea Party could raise more funds in one day than the establishment could raise in more than six months.
Over time the intensity of the donations to Tea Party groups subsided and this prompted the liberal NY press to pronounce the Tea Party as dead but that was a lie. Then there ensued a childish smear campaign against ‘Tea Baggers’ and this failed also.
The Tea Party was comprised and still is of republicans and independents and blue collar democrat conservativces, the so-called Perot faction or Reagan democrats.
Because the Tea Party is amorphous and splintered into hundreds of groups without a hierarchical chain of command, it is difficult for the ruling class and their media to estimate the strength of the Tea Party movement; they are left confused.
Ted Cruz talks about a coming political tsunami and I believe he is exactly right. Liberal media is losing readers and viewers year over year and their pollsters have lost credibility and are increasingly ineffective at shaping public opinion.
But the Left can still win if they succeed in picking the republican opponents for 2014 and 2016. For example, Chris Christie, Jeb Bush, Paul Ryan etc. These types of candidates promoted by the leftist media and chosen by the establishment ruling class will cause conservatives to stay home or not vote for anyone other than local conservatives. The non-votes of the 6 million + strong Perot blue collar voting bloc is what sunk Romney. So the ruling class is pinning their hopes on discrediting all candidates that have the loyalty of the Tea Party such as Ted Cruz.
Thank you for a detailed analysis. I know that if I were back i the USSA I would be a strong Tea Party participant.
I fear, however, that it is too late.