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http://files.meetup.com/1596798/WTPOTR%20Press%20Release%20-%208.10.12.pdf

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

We the People of the Republic Responds to “Tea Party Endorsement” in Wisconsin’s U.S. Senate Primary Race

Media Contact: Ross Brown (President)
wethepeopleoftherepublic@gmail.com

August 10, 2012

Following the Tea Party Express’ endorsement of candidate Mark Neumann in Wisconsin’s U.S. Senate primary race, We the People of the Republic (WTPOTR) wishes to clarify that the Tea Party Express speaks only for itself as an organization and not for the Tea Party movement as a whole.

While the Tea Party Express has not claimed to speak for the movement as a whole, such an assumption could easily –
and incorrectly – be made by those not familiar with the nature of the movement.

Broadly labeling an endorsement for a candidate from any Tea Party organization as the “Tea Party Endorsement” is to misunderstand the grassroots nature of the Tea Party movement itself. No structure exists within the Tea Party movement to allow for such a sweeping inference. Depending on the culture and legal structure of each sovereign group, individual Tea Party organizations may or may not choose
to endorse candidates running for political office, and any endorsements that are made may differ from group to group.

As a 501(c)4 organization, WTPOTR does not endorse candidates, but WTPOTR members (as individuals)
certainly possess opinions about candidates running for political office. No scientific polling has been completed among WTPOTR members, yet (based on anecdotal evidence)
it seems that WTPOTR members are split when it comes to their preferred choice for the Wisconsin U.S.
Senate primary. WTPOTR members have shared their individual opinions in support of Fitzgerald, Hovde, Neumann, and Thompson, meaning that all four GOP candidates could showcase examples of support they’ve received from individual Tea Partiers in Dane County.

While individual organizations like the Tea Party Express are free to endorse candidates of their choosing, no single candidate can accurately claim to possess the “Tea Party Endorsement” because the very concept itself is a false premise. WTPOTR issues this press release in order to clarify this point to the media and to our fellow Wisconsinites.