Tea Party Threatens More Primary Fights

The Hill reports:

One of the nation's largest Tea Party groups is warning congressional Republicans to watch their right flanks ahead of a final vote this week on the long-term budget deal that averted a government shutdown.

Mark Meckler, co-founder of Tea Party Patriots, says dissatisfaction with the budget deal has local activists already seeking out primary challengers to sitting House GOP members who are supporting the deal.

"I'm literally getting emails by the hour from people talking about primary challenges," Meckler told The Ballot Box, adding that opposition to the deal among grassroots conservatives has been building all week.

Despite some vocal opposition from House and Senate conservatives, however, Republicans on Capitol Hill are largely rallying around the deal to cut $39.9 billion from current spending levels. House Majority Leader Eric Cantor (R-Va.) predicted Tuesday that the House will pass the bill with "strong Republican support."

Should that happen, said Meckler, he expects threats of primary challenges to GOP members to increase.

"I'm hearing it from just about every district where someone voted yes [on the deal]," he said of the potential targets. "It's a pretty easy list, actually. All you have to do is look at the roll call."