Tea party summit warns GOP

PHOENIX - Antsy for results, tea party supporters gathered for a weekend strategy summit said they were intent on making sure the Republicans they helped propel to a House majority in the fall live up to their promise to alter the course of Washington.

That resolve emerged as the apparent consensus among the 2,000 people at the Tea Party Patriots event here, which wrapped up Sunday.

The meeting of the conservative-libertarian coalition was filled with warnings to the GOP not to squander its new base. Among the messages: Congress is too timid on slashing spending, and Republican leaders seem too willing to compromise with President Obama to avoid a government shutdown.

"A $100 billion budget cut was the first thing they promised. Have we seen that? No. But we've heard excuses," said Donna Woodrum, of San Diego. Her husband, John Woodrum, said he's a diehard Republican but won't let the GOP have a pass if it doesn't hew to a conservative agenda.

Faith and Freedom Coalition chairman Ralph Reed stirred members to their feet with his message to Republicans: "If you turn your back on the tea party movement and the principles it has forwarded, you will consign yourself to permanent minority status."

The House, spurred by tea party-backed Republican freshmen, passed $61 billion in spending cuts this month. Republican leaders insist more cuts are on the way, but the initial reductions already face stiff resistance from Obama and the Democratic-led Senate.

Freshman Rep. David Schweikert of Arizona got a firsthand look at how difficult it can be to govern and keep a key constituency satisfied. He appeared on a panel about a looming vote to raise the borrowing limit as the federal government nears the $14.3 trillion cap on its debt.

When he asked the tea party members how they would vote, a resounding "Noooo!" came his way. In response, he cautioned about a collapse in bonds, including those held by retirement funds.

After serving as a turnout engine last year, tea party members say they have matured into a watchdog role.

"If they do what they say they are going to do, we are behind them 100 percent the next time they come up for the election," said retiree Kaye Woodward of Livingston, Texas. "If they don't, we're going to pull up another candidate to run against them."

In a presidential straw poll at the conclave, Georgia radio host Herman Cain won 22 percent, followed by Rep. Ron Paul and Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty.

Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich intends to take a formal step toward entering the 2012 presidential race within the next two weeks, Republican officials said Sunday.

The officials declined to say precisely what announcement the 67-year-old former lawmaker from Georgia would make but said they expect him to make clear his determination to run.

If so, he would be the first Republican to do so in a slow-to-develop field of potential GOP challengers to President Obama.   - AP

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