Why I Doubt Projections of a Democratic Midterm Surge

RollCall recently interviewed me about the oh-so-inevitable blue surge coming our way.

But is it?

Mark Meckler, one of the founders of the Tea Party Patriots, helped harness anger on the right in the 2010 midterms to topple Democratic incumbents and drive out some Republicans from the center in one of the biggest GOP waves in history.

Now the movement has dissipated and control of Congress is again at stake, with an increasing number of political insiders predicting that it could be the turn of progressive Democrats to storm the House.

But Meckler — who left the Tea Party Patriots in 2012 and is now working to summon a convention of states aimed at limiting the power of the federal government — doesn’t see it that way.

Roll Call talked to him about why he doesn’t think there will be a blue wave this year, why he thinks the tea party was a success, and whether the Trump presidency represents a victory for the movement.

Click through to find out my answers to the following questions:

1.  You co-founded the Tea Party Patriots in 2009, then resigned in 2012. What do you think of the direction the movement has taken since then?
2. Would you say that President Trump represents the values of the tea party movement?
3. How would you compare the ‘Resistance’ or the Indivisible movement on the left today to the tea party movement that you were involved with?
4. What about candidates like Ayanna Pressley or Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, candidates who are more progressive and have a less traditional profile who have won in primaries against white, male incumbents? Do you see that as any way comparable to what was happening with the tea party in 2010?
5. You have said you disagree with projections of a blue wave in 2018. What do you think is different today compared with the tea party wave of 2010?
6. What about the Senate?
7.  I’m sure you have seen some expressions of concern that saying there is not going to be a blue wave or that it could in fact be a red wave could actually have the effect of depressing turnout among Republicans because of overconfidence. Do you see any danger of that happening?

Read my answers here.