Maine GOP Backs Away From Tea Party

The Republican Party of Maine is distancing itself from the local Tea Party movement:

A tea party tempest is losing steam in Maine, a state that prides itself on its independence and moderation.

With inspiration from tea partiers, Republicans there adopted a party platform last month that raised eyebrows nationally, with planks calling for the elimination of the Department of Education, a reference to global warming as a "myth" and a declaration that health care "is not a right. It is a service."

But even Republican candidates for governor have backed away from the platform, which replaced a pro-forma document up for+ adoption at the state party convention.

That ambivalence creates a mixed bag for tea partiers, who advocate little government interference in citizens' affairs – a concept attractive to many Democrats and Republicans alike but one that has been overshadowed by some of the movement's louder voices.

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