<P> Aside from rallies, some groups affiliated with the Tea Party movement began to focus on getting out the vote and ground game efforts on behalf of candidates supportive of their agenda starting in the 2010 elections . </P> <P> Various Tea Party groups have endorsed candidates in the elections . In the 2010 midterm elections, The New York Times identified 138 candidates for Congress with significant Tea Party support, and reported that all of them were running as Republicans--of whom 129 were running for the House and 9 for the Senate . A poll by the Wall Street Journal and NBC News in mid October showed 35% of likely voters were Tea - party supporters, and they favored the Republicans by 84% to 10% . The first Tea Party affiliated candidate to be elected into office is believed to be Dean Murray, a Long Island businessman, who won a special election for a New York State Assembly seat in February 2010 . </P> <P> According to statistics on an NBC blog, overall, 32% of the candidates that were backed by the Tea Party or identified themselves as a Tea Party member won election . Tea Party supported candidates won 5 of 10 Senate races (50%) contested, and 40 of 130 House races (31%) contested . In the primaries for Colorado, Nevada and Delaware the Tea - party backed Senate Republican nominees defeated "establishment" Republicans that had been expected to win their respective Senate races, but went on to lose in the general election to their Democratic opponents . </P> <P> The Tea Party is generally associated with the Republican Party . Most politicians with the "Tea Party brand" have run as Republicans . In recent elections in the 2010s, Republican primaries have been the site of competitions between the more conservative, Tea Party wing of the party and the more moderate, establishment wing of the party . The Tea Party has incorporated various conservative internal factions of the Republican Party to become a major force within the party . </P>

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