Next Stop For The Tea Party Express: Tennessee’s U.S. Senate Primary?

Texas Senator Ted Cruz, speaking at a Tea Party Express event in 2012. Cruz is one of numerous candidates to receive the support of Tea Party Express. Image: Tea Party Express

Leaders of the Tea Party Express took shots at Tennessee’s senior senator Wednesday. During an appearance in Nashville, the group said it’s willing to help fund a primary challenger to Lamar Alexander.

Tea Party Express is one of the heavyweights of the Tea Party movement. Last year, it gave more than $5.5 million to candidates like Texas Senator Ted Cruz.

“We will be some spending time here in the state of Tennessee, leading up to the primary, said Tea Party Express director Amy Kremer. “And we look forward to that, because it’s time Tennessee had a true conservative to represent the people instead of a moderate RINO [Republican in Name Only] squish that has no spine.”

So far, Senator Alexander’s only primary opponent is State Representative Joe Carr. Carr calls himself a Tea Party supporter, but says he doesn’t want to be labeled as the Tea Party candidate.

Tea Party Express stopped in Nashville today, as part of a nationwide tour asking Congress to defund Obamacare. Heritage Action, the group headed by former South Carolina Senator Jim DeMint, will host a similar event in Nashville tomorrow night.