When you think of the Florida tea party, the names Gov. Rick Scott and Sen. Marco Rubio come to mind but neither man came to their state’s tea party convention this weekend.* A new trend of ignoring the once ascendant Koch-funded effort seems to be under way.
It’s hard not to think there’s a connection between the decline in the popularity of the tea party and the generally more favorable ratings for the Occupy movement. Nowhere was the so-last-year quality of support for tea partiers more evident than at their own Florida convention.
Of the major presidential candidates, only Rick Santorum confirmed to the Tampa Tribune this week that he’s attending. Ron Paul’s campaign couldn’t be reached for comment; the event isn’t on his campaign web site schedule, although event organizers said he’ll be there. Spokesmen for Michele Bachmann, Herman Cain, Newt Gingrich, Jon Huntsman, Rick Perry and Mitt Romney all said they won’t make it…
“It’s like they’re throwing a party and the guests of honor aren’t going to show up,” said retired University of South Florida political scientist Darryl Paulson, a Republican.
By contrast, at the Republicans’ “Presidency 5” meeting in September, not only did every major candidate on the party’s primary ticket appear, but attendees selected Herman Cain their straw poll winner, launching him to front-runner status, where he has remained to this day.
And at the Democrats’ recent Florida convention, Vice President Joe Biden headlined, along with Sen. Bill Nelson, the lieutenant governor and senator of Puerto Rico, and former Gov. and Sen. Bob Graham.
It’s not just lack of enthusiasm keeping the big names away. The combative group is its own worst enemy when it comes to working together to produce more than red-faced shouting.
But some campaign aides, asking not to be quoted by name, said the planning for the event has been disorganized…
Establishment Republicans, although they want tea party support, are wary of close ties to the movement, some experts said.
“For all the good the tea party has brought to the debate, they also carry quite a lot of liabilities,” said Republican political consultant Chris Ingram of Tampa. “Association with them is viewed as a negative.”
Paulson noted recent polling that shows the movement’s image has grown more negative. The approach of Republicans seems to be, “Be friends with the tea party but don’t get too close,” he said.
*Rubio did supply a video to be shown during the event.
I think they are getting toxic, but then so are the republican candidates for president, what a bunch of jokes!