If you're like most of us, you've grown more than a little weary of the media's steady stream of half-truths and outright lies about tea party activists.  After spending most of the last year claiming that the tea party movement was a fringe movement of a handful of mean angry racist redneck astroturf mobsters that would never amount to anything, the media talking heads now feign surprise that the tea party activists didn't succeed in completely taking over the entire Texas government in one election.

As with all the media's prior lines of attack, this one is every bit as ridiculous.

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We write today to offer our CONGRATULATIONS and THANKS to each and every one of you who spent your time and effort to get your friends, family, neighbors and co-workers to the polls.

Coming into this election, it wasn't fully clear, even to those of us who are heavily involved, whether the grassroots energy we saw at the rallies and the town hall meetings would find its way into the polling booths.

After looking at the election returns, we're happy to report that it did--WITH A VENGEANCE.

Across North Texas, turnout in this election was FAR BEYOND what was expected.  Turnout in an off-year Republican Primary election in Dallas County would normally run around 40,000 to 50,000 votes.  This year, turnout nearly exceeded ONE HUNDRED THOUSAND VOTES.  The same story played out across North Texas.

Ladies and gentlemen, this incredible turnout didn't happen by accident.  It happened because thousands of Texans have been spending their time and energy rallying in the streets, showing up at town halls, organizing neighborhood meetings, walking precincts and manning phone banks.

All of you who were among those thousands who stepped up deserve a ton of credit and gratitude.  Together, we have taken the FIRST TANGIBLE STEP to taking back our country.  Once again, Texas leads the way.

A few have emailed us in disappointment that their favorite candidate didn't win yesterday.  There are news stories highlighting the many incumbents who survived challenges this election.  They cite these races as evidence that the tea party movement had no effect.  (Of course, they ignore the incumbents who will not be returning to office, or are facing tough runoffs.)

There were a number of hard-fought races this cycle.  Some races went to the grassroots favorites, while others didn't.  But our movement is not about any single race, or about throwing out all incumbents, or about any of the myriad other things the media would have you believe we're all about.

This movement is about ENGAGING our fellow citizens, INFORMING them about the critical issues, and encouraging them to TAKE ACTION.

Based on the incredible turnout in this primary election, we have every reason to hold our heads high as we move forward.

There are at least four things every Texan should be doing to celebrate Texas Independence Day (Tuesday, March 2):

1. REMEMBER THE ALAMO!!!

2. If you didn't vote in early voting, VOTE ON TUESDAY!!!

3. Get EVERYONE to the polls! 

4. Attend your local Precinct Convention.

DETAILS BELOW (CLICK MORE).

The Dallas Tea Party enjoyed some beautiful weather and some excellent speakers on Saturday afternoon, including rousing words from former NFL defensive back Scott Turner:

The event was well-attended, with a crowd estimated at 1,500 people:

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Olbermann's response:

Empower Texans  

Young Conservatives of Texas 

Texans Uniting for Reform and Freedom (T.U.R.F.)

Immigration Reform Coalition of Texas (I.R.C.O.T.)  

Republican Liberty Caucus 

The Liberty Institute

Conservative Hispanic Society 

The Alliance of Texans Against Government Controlled Healthcare

Texas Conservative Review 

Texas Eagle Forum

Comments?  Thoughts?  Complaints?  Please share them in the comments below.

(CLICK ABOVE TO WATCH)

From the article:

"From Dallas to Carrollton and all across the area, an estimated 50 teams from various Tea Parties hit the pavement Saturday to not only alert potential voters about the primary, but also to get promises.

When candidates canvass a neighborhood door-to-door they're generally asking people to vote for them, but the Tea Party groups are just asking people to vote, period.

Tea Parties are neophytes compared to established political groups. But they have what all parties want: motivated members."

A Tea Party leadership conference in Dallas on Saturday urged the conservative movement’s activists to adopt old-fashioned, get-out-the-vote tactics, including driving people to the polling booth.

 

“This is something ACORN has been doing,” said Dallas Tea Party activist Lorie Medina, referring to the left-leaning group that conservative Tea Party types love to hate....

 

Much of what Medina said mirrored tried-and-true strategies employed by both Republicans and Democrats, including organization by zip code, voter registration drives, neighborhood walks and signing up members for affiliates.

 

The conference was a sign the movement — it grabbed headlines last year as it channeled conservative opposition to President Barack Obama’s policies into nation-wide protests against bank bail-outs, the drive to overhaul healthcare, and other aspects of the White House agenda — is becoming more focused.

"WASHINGTON – Texas has one of the most conservative delegations in Congress, yet more than half of the state's Republicans in the U.S. House face challengers from the right – most inspired by the anti-tax Tea Party movement.

 

"We have been encouraging people to get involved and ... to seriously consider running for office" against politicians whose views of government don't match their own, said Dallas attorney Ken Emanuelson, a leader in the local Tea Party movement. "That's a good thing."

 

In Texas, 11 of 20 Republicans have drawn challengers. In nearly every case, Tea Party connections are apparent..."

http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/news/politics/state/stories/010610dntexconggop.3d8550f.html

Tea Party challengers aren't limited to Federal races:

Republicans have more internal fights to settle than Democrats. Seventeen Republican [State] House incumbents must shake off challenges in the March 2 primary before they can turn their eyes to November.

 

GOP strategists credit the Tea Party movement for at least six of the challenges: those to Reps. Charlie Geren of Fort Worth, Todd Smith of Euless, Vicki Truitt of Keller, Tommy Merritt of Longview, Delwin Jones of Lubbock, and Hopson of Jacksonville.

http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/news/politics/state/stories/DN-house_07tex.ART0.State.Edition2.4bca1de.html