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OTR Interviews

How Influential Is the Tea Party Movement?

By Fox News
Published | Updated

This is a rush transcript from "On the Record," March 29, 2010. This copy may not be in its final form and may be updated.

GRETA VAN SUSTEREN, FOX NEWS HOST: Joining us live is Gina Louden, an organizer of the St. Louis Tea Party. Gina, how influential is the Tea Party movement? What do you think about the candidates?

GINA LOUDEN, TEA PARTY ORGANIZER: Well, I think this past year has proven that the tea party is going to be a force to be reckoned with in the next election for sure. I think we will see history made in time around, Greta, just like we've seen history made this whole past year with everything the tea party has done.

I think this election will prove that this is what we came to the dance for, and we are definitely ready to dance.

VAN SUSTEREN: Does it mean that tea party activists/candidates will be elected, or does it mean that the Republican Party is going to listen to the tea party activists because of the enormous number the tea party may have?

LOUDEN: I think both things could theoretically happen in some cases, Greta. I think what we are looking at in the tea party now is definitive electability, races we know we can win.

And I think we're looking at putting together the monetary resources that we need that you were discussing a little bit ago along with the campaign organization, having it all in place so that when these candidates come in and they are running against a leftist incumbent that has taken our country the wrong direction, we are going to be there, our ranks will be there to get involved and say, let us do your get-out-the-vote.

Can you imagine if you took that Nevada rally this weekend and turned it into a get-out-the-vote effort right there? Those kinds of things are going to translate directly. And those who underestimated us for the whole last year will probably continue to underestimate us, and we'll continue to surprise them, Greta.

VAN SUSTEREN: I read this morning about a candidate who aligned himself with a tea party out of Ohio today running for Congress. He has $3,000 -- lots of enthusiasm, but $3,000. And I thought to myself, you got a tough road ahead.

And it occurred to me the tea party movement, you know it shows spectacular numbers at these events but just isn't spreading the money around.

LOUDEN: I think you are right on that. I don't think candidates can think I'm going to decide on the tea party candidate and get in this race and I'm going to win no matter what.

Candidates, it takes a few things to get elected. One is an organization, one is money. You have to have some know-how. You got to be somewhat savvy on issues. You have to have a real passion. That's all true. In most states you need to have teeth. There are other requirements. You have be somebody who can present yourself well.

And I think the tea party is looking for those candidates, and the grassroots among our ranks are identifying people that are running in races where we need people run against those leftist incumbents. And the tea party is naturally going to coalesce around the candidate who is going to be most likely to win in November.

VAN SUSTEREN: Gina, thank you.

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