Taken from Wikipedia: “The Tea Party movement has no central leadership but is composed of a loose affiliation of national and local groups that determine their own platforms and agendas. The Tea Party movement has been cited as an example of grassroots political activity, although it has also been described as an example of astroturfing.[15]
The Tea Party movement is not a national political party; polls show that most Tea Partiers consider themselves to be Republicans[16][17] and the movement’s supporters have tended to endorse Republican candidates.[18] Commentators, including Gallup editor-in-chief Frank Newport, have suggested that the movement is not a new political group but simply a rebranding of traditional Republican candidates and policies.[16][19][20] An October 2010 Washington Post canvass of local Tea Party organizers found 87% saying “dissatisfaction with mainstream Republican Party leaders” was “an important factor in the support the group has received so far”.[21]
The Tea Party’s most-noted national figures[citation needed] include Republican politicians Ron Paul, his son Rand Paul, Sarah Palin, Dick Armey, Eric Cantor and Michele Bachmann. The elder Paul is described by some as the “intellectual godfather” of the movement.[22][23] In July 2010, Michele Bachmann formed the Tea Party Congressional Caucus[24], which now contains 66 members[25].”