Tea Party Conversation: 67.4%
Mike Lee is serving up strong Tea over in Utah. His convention coup against incumbent Republican Senator Bob Bennett was a classic Tea Party victory—a triumph of passionate supporters in a closed contest, with a dose of RINO-hunting for good measure. Bennett was tagged by his opponents as a pork-lover—but an added bit of anger came from his "collaboration" with Oregon Democrat Ron Wyden on health-care reform. The 38-year-old Lee—a former clerk for Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito—enjoyed the support of conservative Senator Jim DeMint and the Dick Armey’s FreedomWorks PAC. Lee faces political newcomer Sam Granato, chairman of the Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control in the general election—but in Utah, winning the GOP nomination is akin to winning the general. Looks like Mike Lee will be bringing Tea Party power to the Senate in 2011.