… Not only does Brat’s victory underscore the continued presence of the Tea Party, but it also provides a high-profile example of the Tea Party’s main strategy, what I call a “party within a party.” Further, Brat’s victory pushes us to consider who or what we mean when we speak of the Tea Party. True, some of the major national Tea Party organizations gave Brat very little attention. However, the multiple Tea Party organizations in Virginia’s 7th Congressional District devoted plenty of attention to the race. If we only view the Tea Party as its few national organizations, we miss that much of its energy and staying power come from activists. CONT.
Rachel Blum (Georgetown), Mischiefs of Faction