TPX Flips. Stiffs Roberts in Primary Now Backs Him in the Fall October 13, 2014

Kansas Senator Pat Roberts picked up the endorsement Monday of the group that endorsed his primary opponent.
The Tea Party Express (TPX), a political action committee from California, endorsed Roberts’ re-election bid in Wichita.
In the spring, the Tea Party Express endorsed Robert’s primary opponent, Dr. Milton Wolf.
At the time the group said it supported Wolf because “ unlike the career politicians that have burdened future generations under crippling debt, Milton Wolf is a conservative game changer”.”

Monday, the Wiichita Eagle quoted TPX Director Taylor Budowich said “We supported Milton Wolf in the primary, unfortunately we were unsuccessful. Our goal is to take back the Senate (for the Republican Party).”

TPX Endorses Wolfe in Kansas Senate Primary February 27, 2014

The California-based Tea Party Express political action group endorsed Republican Senate Challenger Dr. Milton Wolfe Thursday.
Wolfe is trying to unseat three-term incumbent Republican Pat Roberts.
The Tea Party Express endorsed a variety of conservative candidates.
In 2012, it endorsed Sarah Steelman in three-way Missouri Republican Senate primary she lost to Todd Akin.
Amy Kremer of the Tea Party Express came to Kansas to make the endorsement.
She says Wolfe ” is the perfect person to tackle President Obama’s failed healthcare policy. He even has proposed his own alternative to the Obamacare train wreck, Patient Care.”
The primary is in August but the tone of the campaign is one of a campaign well underway.
Wolfe’s campaign is called Roberts ” Virginia’s third Senator’, raising questions about Roberts ties to Kansas after spending decades in Washington.
Roberts has a voting address at the Dodge City home of a political supporter.
He rents out a duplex in Dodge City that he owns.
Roberts has fired back.
This week the Roberts campaign is airing a commercial focusing on Wolfe’s past.
That includes images of X-rays from gunshot victims where Wolfe made jokes about the images.
The commercial questions Wolfe’s judgements about the Facebook posts, which have been removed.
“We were happy to see Milton Wolf stepping forward and apologizing for posting some X-rays on Facebook several years ago. But this story shows what is wrong with politics today. Political consultants dredge up things from years ago and try to make a big deal out of something minor, ” Kremer said in the news release announcing the group’s support of Wolfe.

Steelman’s Tea Party Express Bus Tour Hits Some Bumps May 2, 2012

( Sarah Sterlman at previous Tea Party Express event)

From PoliticMO:

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— A month after receiving an endorsement from the Tea Party Express, Republican U.S. Senate hopeful Sarah Steelman is once again hitting the road in Missouri with the group.

The campaign had scheduled stops this week in Kansas City, Springfield, Joplin, and St. Louis. With the St. Louis stop, however, the campaign hit a bump in the road.

Tea Party Express, a California based political action committee, had been in touch with attorney general hopeful Ed Martin’s campaign about using his facility in south St. Louis to host one of the tour stops.

“The Victory Fieldhouse,” as the campaign calls their headquarters, “is the headquarters of the Ed Martin for Attorney General and the Cole McNary for Treasurer Campaigns and is set up to fight back against Barack Obama and his followers,” campaign manager Steve Michael said.

The campaign agreed to host the stop. On Tuesday, the campaign and the Tea Party Express sent out advisories to reporters inviting them to the event at Martin’s headquarters. But late Tuesday, it became clear to Martin that the event would essentially be a campaign stop for Steelman, who is still involved in a close three way primary.

“Their event has strayed from what was originally agreed upon, and they have said they will gather at another location,” Michael said, in announcing the event would no longer take place at the Martin/McNary headquarters.

The flub comes as Missouri based Tea Party groups continue to criticize the Tea Party Express for being involved in Missouri, in the first place. The Missouri groups, who have often, unofficially supported Rep. Todd Akin’s candidacy, have said the California based group doesn’t represent Missouri conservative groups.

Steelman, facing the criticism last month, said she will continue to seek support from all conservative groups, including the Tea Party Express.

Missouri Tea Party Groups Go After Tea Party Express–Again as TPX Bus Tour Approaches May 1, 2012

Republican US Senate candidate Sarah Steelman continues to draw fire from Missouri Tea Party groups.
Steelman is expected to take part in a Tea Party Express bus tour that will be in Missouri today. The group has a stop planned for the Kansas City suburb of Grain Valley.
The Missouri Conservative Network issues a statement Tuesday night criticized the Tea Party Express.
“Once again, the endorsement of Sarah Steelman by the Tea Party Express does not represent the consensus of Tea Party groups and conservative organizations in Missouri,” the statement reads.
The Tea Party Express endorsed Steelman earlier this year. That irritated some Missouri Tea Party Groups. They took an exception with the Tea Party Express’ claim it had identified a ‘true Tea Party candidate for Missouri”.
The Tea Party Express is a political action committee based out of California. They have raised campaign money for a number of conservative Republicans in the last couple of election cycles. Several of them have either been nominated or elected.
The statement criticizing the Tea Party Express appears to be backed by 17 different Tea Party groups in the state.
The groups include: Branson Tea Party; Callaway Patriots; Capital Tea Party; Cooper County Tea Party; Eureka Tea Party; Franklin County Patriots; I Heard the People Say; Jefferson County Tea Party; Lebanon Tea Party; Liberty restoration Project; Macon County Patriots; Mid-MO Patriots; Northsiders Tea Party; Sikeston Tea Party; Springfield Tea Party, Springfield/Greene County TEA Party; Sullivan 9-12 Group.

Steelman’s Tea Party Express Boosters Questioned on Finances in KC March 23, 2012

GOP senate candidate Sarah Steelman (left) accepts $2500 Check from Tea Party Express Chairman Amy Kremer(right).

Organizers of the Tea Party Express defended themselves, and the organization Friday in Kansas City, when questioned about the group’s finances and ties to other political groups.
The Tea Party Express endorsed Republican candidate Sarah Steelman in a series of Missouri news conferences.
The Tea Party Express, unlike many Tea Party groups, is a well-financed political action committee.
It has deep ties to the Sacramento political consulting firm, Russo Marsh & Rogers.
Sal Russo was at the event in suburban Kansas City. He defended the relationship between his group and the Tea Party Express. Critics have charged the Tea Party Express is used to enrich the Russo firm.
Russo acknowledged the firm has benefited from its ties with the Tea Party Express. There have been no charges of official wrong doing.
The questioning of Tea Party Express Chair Amy Kremer and KMBC’s Micheal Mahoney grew heated at one point. A staffer tried to shut down Mahoney’s questions, but he continued.
Steelman says she is honored to gave the Tea Party Express support She received a $2,500 donation to her race from the group.
Other Missouri Tea Party groups have complained about the the Tea Party Express endorsement of Steelman Several said the Express’ support implies all Tea Party groups in Missouri back Steelman’s primary campaign. Brunner. Many say that is not the case. Some say they do not endorse candidates at all. Steelman is running against Rep. Todd Akin and businessman John Brunner. More later, the story will develop.