Tea Party says they are "not dead"

Hartford, Conn. (WTNH) - One Connecticut Tea Party member said Monday "we are not dead;" after an initial year of rallies and other activities in 2009 there's been a year of relative quiet where the Tea Party is concerned.

Organizers say it was three years ago Monday that they held their very first rally and Monday on the steps of the State Supreme Court about 75 Tea Party members gathered in protest of what they believe to be the most recent outrage of the Obama Administration.

"This is not an attack on women," said Peter Wolfgang, Family Institute of CT, "this is an attack on the religious liberty of all of us...we need to stand together."

The Obama Administration's so-called accommodation, requiring the insurers of hospitals and other institutions operated by the Catholic Church to provide contraceptives is now a rallying point.

"A match that lit another flame, yet another flame, yes it has," said Jerry MacMillan, of Essex. "..it's not just a Tea Party issue, it's an American issue."

"Of course that's the lightening rod issue of the day, but we had been planning our third anniversary," said Joe Visconti, of West Hartford. "We had some great wins in 2010 around the country and we're just beginning the process of organizing events across the state."

The biggest Tea Party event so far was a rally at the State Capitol on tax deadline day in 2009. Despite all the effort, only one Tea Party candidate won election to the legislature the following year.

"Mister Obama, these people have got to go," said Domenick D'Onofrio, of Plainville, "if they don't go, we're in deep trouble."

Monday there were half a dozen Republican candidates for various offices looking for Tea Party votes and voters. Tea Party organizers say their e-mails are up, their members are up and they are not dead.