I think you have a misguided idea of what the TEA Party is. It stands for Taxed Enough Already and is made up of grass roots people - not just Republicans, but, Democrats, Libertarian and Independents. Basically, people who are fed up with the elites and status quo.
I do not in any way have a misguided idea.
I have a memory of the early days and the rallies that defined the movement.
The Tax people were just one faction of a movement, and the larger movement included people whose primary concerns ranged from things like religious liberty to securing the border to second amendment activists promoting restored rights in democratic strongholds and open carry.
The movement was so named in recognition of the Boston Tea Party during the run up to the Revolutionary War.
The cute slogan by people whose primary concern is their pocketbook does not give them primacy or leadership in the movement. Capiche?
Donald isn’t someone who meets the criteria to appeal to a broad swath of the movement.