Tea Party Express endorses Marilinda Garcia
Tea Party Express, which claims to be the nation’s largest Tea Party political action committee, has endorsed Marilinda Garcia in New Hampshire’s 2nd District congressional race.
“We are encouraged by Marilinda’s fighting spirit and adherence to conservative values,“ said Tea Party Express executive director Taylor Budowich. "She will become a formidable force in Congress and a bold, conservative leader for years to come.”
Four Granite Staters, identified as “local Tea Party leaders,” signed on in support: state Senate candidate and homeschooling advocate Doris Hohensee, Coalition for New Hampshire Taxpayers chair Ed Naile, Free State Project chair Aaron Day and Republican Liberty Caucus of New Hampshire founder Tim Condon.
There is dissension on the right. Tea Party Express made headlines three years ago when local Tea Party activists, led by Andrew Hemingway, protested a Granite State appearance by eventual Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney during the group’s “Reclaiming America” bus tour.
New Hampshire Tea Party Coalition leader Jane Aitken recently blasted the group when it was reported they might be endorsing Scott Brown in the Republican primary for the U.S. Senate seat held by Jeanne Shaheen.
“We all remember what happened last time when a so-called tea party from out of state interfered in our elections,” Aitkin wrote on the NHTPC website. “Sarah Palin and the Tea Party Express claimed the ‘tea party’ endorsed Senator Ayotte when WE DID NOTHING OF THE KIND.”
“Contact Tea Party Express, and Sal Russo in particular, and tell them to keep their establishment GOP group and bus OUT OF NH and to mind their own damned business,” Aitken wrote. “What is it going to take to keep these impostors out of NH’s elections, a lawsuit?”