Former Former GOP, Dem Party Chairs Aid Denver Tea Party

The former chairmen of the Colorado Republican and Democratic parties have agreed to serve on the Denver Tea Party board, the Denver Post reported Monday.

Phil Perington served on the Colorado Democratic Party chairman from 1997 to 1999. At the same time, Steve Curtis ran the state’s Republican Party. Both are now unaffiliated.

They told the newspaper that they agreed to serve on the board because they believe in the Tea Party’s message of “financial accountability, constitutional responsibility and free markets."

"We're showing them the ropes," Perington said. "Most of these people have never been involved in politics before, and we've advised them to keep on message and not get distracted."

Curtis said some Tea Party members talked about trying to become members of the state's GOP central committee to have more of a say in the Republican Party. He has discouraged that move.

"I told them, 'Your strength is not being Republican,' " he said.