Bachmann Tries to Build Upon Tea Party Support

Rep. Michele Bachmann — who surged in the polls over the summer only to flounder with the rise of Gov. Rick Perry, businessman Herman Cain and former House Speaker Newt Gingrich — has built a coalition of Tea Party support to bring her back into relevance in the SC GOP pack.

The Bachmann for President campaign continues to build on its Tea Party support in South Carolina, announcing co-chairs Javan Browder and Kelly Payne and 35 coalition members.

Browder is an Upstate Tea Party champion who has been involved with the movement since its inception. Payne is a Dutch Fork High School teacher, former candidate for Superintendent of Education and Richland County GOP activist.

“Michele Bachmann is the only candidate who has been both conservative and consistent. Unlike Newt Gingrich and some of the other candidates, Congresswoman Bachmann hasn’t played the Washington-insider games to pad her own pocket. She has fought tooth and nail for our constitutional principles, even founding the Congressional Tea Party Caucus to give us a true voice in Congress. I simply trust her.” Browder said in a release.

Gingrich, who has built his own strong following among Tea Party members in recent weeks as he has surged into the lead in several states, has become the focus of attacks by Bachmann and her supporters.

“We are so excited to have this group of patriots joining our team. Their hard work to promote freedom is exactly what we need to keep the career politicians in line. Javan and Kelly will help us build a network of Tea Party patriots and we will win the First in the South primary,” Bachmann said.

“It’s ludicrous to think that the Tea Party would line up behind Newt Gingrich, a true ‘Washington insider’,” Payne said. “This is a man who pushed TARP, sided with Nancy Pelosi on man-made climate change and even pocketed $37 Million for pushing government mandated health care. It’s pretty obvious why he has to throw around some of that cash to pick up Tea Party support.”

Here are the 37 members of the Bachmann Tea Party coalition:

Javan Browder - Greenville
Kelly Payne - Richland
Paul Scordo - Midlands
Leo Senn - Lexington
Hank Shadwell - Camden
Ross Snell - West Columbia
Glen Wilson - Richland
Justina Wilson- Richland
Helen Watson- Lexington
Eugene Morelli - Midlands
Pat Donlon - Richland
Lu Donlon - Richland
Steve Eisenecker - Richland
Gail Eisenecker - Richland
A.L. Geddings - Richland
Louise Geddings - Richland
Jerry Guerin - Aiken
Philomena Guerin - Aiken
Don Roy - Midlands
Cibby Krell -Spartanburg
Rober Ludvik -Spartanburg
Ramona Ludvik - Spartanburg
Dr. Christina Jeffrey - Spartanburg
Celia Anderson- Spartanburg
Beverly Owensby -Spartanburg
Sara Romney - Spartanburg
Loretta Gilchrist -Spartanburg
Charles Lewis- Greenville
Harold Lewis - Union
Nora Lewis- Union
Robert Bailes - Union
Donnie Jones - Lancaster
Lisa Hall-Cunningham - Lexington
Marvin Collier - Anderson
Nathan M Leupp - Greenville
Lauren Martel - Hilton Head Island
Stan Crenshaw – Spartanburg