Virginia Tea Party Figure to Run for Senate

A Virginia tea party organizer has become the movement’s first Senate candidate of 2012, joining a potentially crowded Republican race for the seat currently held by Democrat Jim Webb, The Wall Street Journals Washington Wire political blog reports. Jamie Radtke, head of the Virginia Federation of Tea Party Patriots, could face primary foes including former Gov. George Allen, who lost the 2006 Senate contest to Webb.

Webb hasn't said whether he will seek re-election. Radtke said she is running in response to the debt-increasing tax package lawmakers passed this month. “It has become clear that many in Congress still don’t get it,” she said. “The tax bill did nothing to cut the huge debt burden on all of us.”

Radtke is known for organizing a tea party convention in Richmond this year that drew nearly 3,000 attendees.