The chairwoman of the Tea Party Express added another victory for the organization with Lisa Murkowski's concession in the Alaska Republican Senate primary last night. Kremer has been in Alaska since the August 11 primary, with the Tea Party donating $600,000 to Joe Miller's cause.
Calling the win "the political shocker of the year," Kremer said in a written statement yesterday: "Joe Miller's campaign based on a constitutional conservative platform resonated with the state's Republican primary voters and should serve as a wake-up call to the political establishments of both parties."
Kremer also credited former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin for connecting Miller and the Tea Party Express. Other candidates who have benefited from Kremer's organization include Rand Paul of Kentucky, Sharron Angle of Nevada, Mike Lee of Utah and Ken Buck of Colorado, CNN reports
Now, don’t get me wrong – I have no love for the Murkowskis. Bad leadership, bad decision-making and bad for the state. However, there is one issue with Kremer’s victory that has me quite startled. It’s the same concern, if I recall, most, if not all, republicans had with Obama’s victory as President. No experience. In act, it seems whereas Obama had legislative and political experience to a degree, Kremer has none.
What makes Kremer most intriguing is how quickly she has risen as a political influence. Raised in Atlanta, Georgia, the former Delta flight attendant did not become politically active until 2008, when she began blogging. After a complicated start founding the Tea Party Patriots, Kremer came to the Tea Party Express in 2009. She was the keynote speaker at the Tea Party Convention in Nashville, Tennessee, earlier this year and has traveled the country stumping for chosen candidates
On one hand this should give each and every one of us here the peace of mind to know that we, every one of us, apparently has the experience to be political; leaders. We blog here every day, engage in debates (and some arguments)… the only thing we don’t have is a political showboat handing us $600,000 to run. According to SourceWatch, Kermer’s ONLY political experience is “is listed in several places as one of four national coordinators of secretive Tea Party Patriots”, a 501(c)(4) entity hidden beneath a privacy shield.
The tax exemption for 501(c)(4) organizations applies to most of their operations, but contributions may be subject to gift tax, and income spent on political activities - generally the advocacy of a particular candidate in an election - is taxable
So…. Congratulations, Amy Kremer. Whoever you are.