How much damage will the tea party suffer if President Obama is re-elected?

[cali]

I realize that the teanutters will loudly voice that the problem was that Mitt wasn't sufficiently to the right to win, but I don't think that will do it. Mittwit has pandered shamelessly to the teanutters. Already there are clearly plenty of powerful repubs that are voicing buyers' regret over the tea party.

What happens to the direction of the republican party if Obama wins, dems keep the Senate and make modest gains in the House? Is there a battle royale within the party?

It'll be interesting to watch.

[chelsea0011]

1. A bigger question is how many are going down in the House after 2 years?

[unblock]

2. i don't see this presidential election as have so much to do with the viability of the "tea party"

congressional election, that's their wheelhouse.

[dmallind]

3. None sadly

They have already pre-inocculated themselves by proclaiming him insifficiently conservative. This is why I would have preferred a RW firebreathing TP darling like Bachmann (as we all would have I'm sure).

[Ganja Ninja]

4. My brother is a Mormon and a Teabagger.

They are already making the excuse. 'The media didn't go after Obama.'

So expect the librul media to take the blame for being so hard on Mitt and easy on Obama.

[Tom Ripley]

14. Isn't tea verboten to Mormons?

If you haven't already done so, poke him with that one

[Proud Liberal Dem]

15. What a weak (and tired) excuse

I expect them to use it over and over again to explain their failings but they've obviously been living in an alternate universe for the past 4 years if they expect us to believe that the "liberal media" has been soft on President Obama and haven't "vetted" him enough. Well, they own Fox News and Fox News hasn't presented anything "new" or "explosive" about President Obama and they've had 4+ years to do it. What's THEIR excuse for not "going after Obama" or "vetting" him some more? Is Fox News now also part of the "liberal media"?

[1-Old-Man]

5. They will fade into obscurity and never be heard from again.

Keep in mind, at their base they are artificial, existing only within the sphere of funding available from a handful of real right wing crackpots.

[randome]

6. I see pragmantic Republicans doing what they can to distance themselves from the TP.

Even joining Democrats on some issues. The TP will fade but it may take a year or two.

[H2O Man]

7. "Mittwit"

reason enough to recommend!

The tea party will mutate. That's what fungus does.

[madinmaryland]

8. None. The republican party has essentially become the tea party.

[BarbaRosa]

9. A question I have is how much damage to this country will

they do with their upcoming temper tantrum?

[LiberalAndProud]

10. I'll play.

How much damage will the tea party suffer if President Obama is re-elected?

My guess is little to none. If certain congresscritters are reelected, the TParty will be vindicated.

Exhibit A:
http://ruralvoters.org/whoisrunning/house/hd060gop

David Howard (R-Tea Park City, MT)

[HopeHoops]

11. The teabaggers are already irrelevant.

[AlinPA]

12. The republican party and "teaparty" are one and the same. There is no distinction now.

If President Obama is re-elected, the republican party will remain essentially the same. It is possible (I hope it doesn't happen) that they will still control the house of representatives and replace Boehner with someone who identifies with the teabaggers more than he seems to have done.

[Tom Ripley]

13. None, but they will continue to damage the brand of "mainstream" Republicans

And that is a very good thing.