The conservative tea party movement helped Republicans win sweeping victories on Election Day. In Michigan, the tea party helped topple Democratic incumbents and win Republicans control of the governor's office, the Legislature, and the state Supreme Court. Now, members of the movement want to make sure the tea party's influence continues to be felt at the state Capitol in Lansing. We have more from the Michigan Public Radio Network's Rick Pluta.
Tea Party activists say they're pleased with the message they sent on Election Day. Now they want to make sure candidates who won with tea party support keep their campaign promises. And they want candidates, especially Republicans, who won without strong tea party backing to be a little nervous. Tea partiers have their suspicions about centrist Republican governor-elect Rick Snyder. And many tea partiers were disappointed when state Senate Republicans tapped union-friendly Senator Randy Richardville to be the next majority leader - one of the Legislature's top two positions. Richardville defends his conservative credentials - he has high ratings from business groups and a perfect NRA record. But he also says he's willing to work with Democrats if it leads to getting things done.
"When you're willing to listen to the other side and reach across the aisle to try and come up with solutions, sometimes you get criticized for that. I welcome that criticism and won't change the way that I work with the other side."
"The politicians work for us. We've elected them to this job, and if we're not happy with what they're doing, then we have to give them feedback."
Melanie Hall is a tea partier. She shows me two sheets of paper that are the centerpiece of the "Accountability Project" being launched by her tea party group.
"So, there's a job description that kind of says this is what we expect from you and a review that says, How well have you met the expectations that we've set?"
The form has places for people to rate their elected officials on a one-to-five scale on such things as "integrity," "critical thinking," and "adherence to the Constitution."
Hall and her tea party group, Common Sense in Government, hope people will use the evaluation form when they meet with elected officials, and then post the evaluations online. Tom Shields is a political consultant and says the wave of Republicans who won with tea party support would be wise to pay attention.
"They provided this landslide."
Shields says the strength of the tea party was its ability to sway independent voters dissatisfied with the status quo, but who don't have a strong connection with either political party.
"They're just as likely, the same way that they did in 2008 to punish the Republican Party when they didn't like the way the country was going under George Bush. They did it to the Democrats, to Obama this time. They can do it to the Republicans next time."
And the tea party's future influence could be tested in 2012 against resurgent Democratic voters, thousands of whom sat out the 2010 elections.
Pollster Bernie Porn says the tea party has potential to be a permanent force in politics, but wonders how much the movement relies on frustrations with high unemployment, lower salaries, and plummeting home values.
"Because a lot of the folks that are involved in the tea party movement are just exasperated and disappointed with the economic situation and fearful. And if their fears disappear maybe they won't be as involved in the tea party movement."
"I don't think that the Tea Party will fade away."
Again, Melanie Hall of Common Sense in Government.
"You might not hear as much of the 'Tea Party this' and 'Tea Party that' as it becomes kind of more standardized, more integral to society."
Senator Randy Richardville tells me he's not worried about the tea party.
"They say they're going to be keeping an eye on you..."
"Good. They should."
Tea partiers stand ready to again test their clout at Republican county conventions later this month, and then next February when the Michigan GOP chooses a new party chair.