Hopefuls with 'Tea Party' ties take on Texas' U.S. House incumbents

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. It's a sign of discontent among conservatives that could make for a messy spring, even as Republicans expect huge gains in House races across the country later in the year. Many of the challengers want little more than to vent, shake up the GOP and prod Washington toward fiscal responsibility. If they win, so much the better. Others want it all: a GOP purified by combat and reborn ideologically. "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."...read more