Former GOP Congressman Mocks Tea Party In New Ads

The Tea Party and powerful PACs like Club For Growth are now prime targets for a former Ohio Congressman’s ad campaign. This week, Steve LaTourette’s Mainstreet Advocacy Group unveiled an ad he hopes will eventually moderate the ranks of Congressional Republicans. The 30-second ad was unveiled at a New York fundraiser earlier this week, then officially launched Wednesday. It’s simply called "Senate Candidates Hall of Shame…featuring Tea Party-backed candidates that lost their bids in 2012, including Missouri’s Todd Akin and Delaware hopeful Christie O’Donnell. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b53GKkGTBYE LaTourette passed on running for a tenth term citing extremely partisan gridlock in Congress. During the most recent government shutdown last month, LaTourette talked with Cleveland public radio station WCPN about his Main Street Advocacy Group’s mission. “We’re in the business of electing center right Republicans, and defending them against extremist right wing attacks in Republican primaries so we can send more people who say “yesâ€? and help John Boehner govern the country," LaTourette said. Requests to several local Tea Party activists for comment were not answered in time for this story. But an October 2010 press release from the Portage County Ohio Tea Party shows they endorsed LaTourette, and he accepted. But two years later, the Bainbridge Township Republican denounced the Tea Party, announced his retirement from office, and pledged to work for moderate conservative candidates.