TN GOP Expects Boost from Tea Party

Tennessee Republicans expect a boost from Tea Party enthusiasm building in the state.

At the Tea Party’s national convention held in Nashville this month, a new political action committee was announced to back candidates in three Tennessee congressional races.

The chairman of the state Republican Party, Chris Devaney, says he’s not working directly with the Tea Party and doesn’t plan to. But he says their passion for limited government has brought out more people to Republican gatherings across the state this year.

“Now, not everybody describes themselves as a Tea Party person, but they do identify with those issues because people are angry.”

Devaney shared a stage for the first time late last week with his Democratic counterpart, Chip Forrester, who called Tea Partiers “extremists.”

Devaney says if extremists are people who believe in limited government and individual responsibility, he welcomes them to join the Republican Party.