Tempest In A Tea Party

The DNC announced today it's launching an initiative connecting the GOP with the Tea Party, painting GOPers as too extreme for voters and using the more unpopular aspects of Tea Party dogma against their candidates.

-- The Tea Party movement has handed Dems some gifts, from propelling the flawed SEN candidacies of Sharron Angle and Rand Paul to leaders and activists making politically tone-deaf or racially-insensitive comments.

-- But aside from the movement's leadership, many independent voters sympathize with the Tea Party's broad message of cutting gov't spending, lower taxes, and disaffection with all things Washington. Polls show about one-fourth of voters sympathize with the movement, and nearly all of them say they're planning to vote this fall. The Tea Party still has a much higher net fav rating than both Dems and GOPers, 33/31 in the latest Q poll.

-- And what's good for the WH/DNC isn't always good for Dem candidates, particularly the many in conservative-minded states and CDs. Highlighting the GOP/Tea Party desire to repeal health care reform and support tax cut extensions rallies the Dem base, but don't expect that to be the central message Lincoln/Ellsworth/Carnahan carry on the trail. Or most of the 40 targeted races in House districts McCain carried in '08.

-- No doubt, the DNC strategy will help enthuse their core supporters, which as Netroots Nation showed, is needed. But it comes at the risk of further inflaming disaffected GOP voters, poised to show up en masse this fall.