Although some may say that the tea party no longer has the influence it once had, Democratic strategist Michael Bronstein tells
Newsmax TV that "Democrats see the tea party as a threat."
In addition, they also see tea party members as "people who have been shaping the thoughts and opinions of the Republican Party," Bronstein, of Bronstein & Weaver Inc., told Ed Berliner on "MidPoint" on Monday.
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He says, though, that "the conservative ranks are keeping Congress from acting."
"Nobody who's in Congress who is a more moderate Republican wants to be 'primaried' by a tea party candidate," he explained.
"This has ultimately moved the Republican Party even farther to the right and made it very hard for anything to get done and to find a partner to negotiate on these big issues," he said.
In addition, the more moderate parts of the country see tea party members as "really out there and . . . they can't be trusted to govern."