Reading the Tea Party leaves

In an extensive article from the Detroit Free Press over the weekend, state pundits tried to weight the potential impact of the Tea Party movement in state politics.

For Republican candidate for Michigan’s 1st Congressional District Tom Stillings the meetings with the Tea Party have been like “the Spanish Inquisition,” reports Freep reporter Todd Spangler.

“The representatives we have now in Congress are not listening,” said Don Jakel of Caledonia, treasurer of the Tea Party of West Michigan – which includes dozens of smaller groups – and Michigan organizer for the Independence Caucus, a national group that interviews candidates then puts their videos online for people to vote for their favorites, which the group then endorses.

One Tea Party member from the Northern Michigan Liberty Alliance went so far as to say the group was targeting a take over of the Republican party:

“My hope is that the tea party people take over the GOP to a great degree,” said Chad Stevens, with the Northern Michigan Liberty Alliance.

That is the goal of Tea Party followers. But how much will their impact be? For that answer the Freep turned to Bill Ballenger, editor of the Inside Michigan Politics:

“How effective are they? We really don’t know,” Ballenger said.

That has not stopped GOP gubernatorial hopefuls Mike Bouchard, Tom George, Mike Cox and Pete Hoekstra from meeting with and campaigning to the various groups. Cox traveled the state with the national Tea Party Express, which had numerous stops in Michigan, including the state capitol. Bouchard was at the capitol as well, taking to the steps of the building to speak to the crowd without a microphone. And Hoekstra campaigned in Grand Rapids with South Carolina Republican Sen. Jim DeMint in tow. DeMint is a Tea Party favorite, and has endorsed Hoekstra. Even state Sen. Tom George (R-Texas Township) made an appearance at the Tea Party Express event.