What the tea party needs to do is read the history of the 1840's and 1850's.  The Whig party leadership got to the point where they believed they knew better than their base how to run not just their party, but the country.  Eventually, the political base of the party became disenchanted  with their leadership and began to flee the party.

By the early 1850's, the Whigs disintigrated as a coherent political force.  From those ashes rose the Republican Party...fast forward to 2010...

The GOP leadership made unrealistic promises to conservatives that if they were given control of Congress, they would reduce spending, repeal ObamaCare and roll back the regulatory brick walls that Democrats had raised against investment and business expansion.  Following the election, Congressional Republicans deliver "reductions in 'future spending'"...and nothing else.

The base, the Tea Party movement has been casting around for a leader...but instead found hundreds and thousands...because "all politics is local"...it's time for conservatives to realize that the GOP is both moribund and morally bankrupt.  They will do none of those things that are planks to the party, except to enrich themselves and their cronies...just as Democrats are doing.  The party Establishment will do everything in it's power to maintain their hold on the party...so...we must toss them out like dirty water...

...and start fresh.  The Tea Party has been played for a fool by the Estalishment of the GOP.  Republican "leaders' will pay lipservice to the ideals that the GOP stands for, but will continue to "go along to get along".

If we can complete the process started 2 years ago, in 2014, The Tea Party can present an entire slate of candidates who are uncorrupted by the current Republican Party Establishment, and in fact, shunt the GOP aside, and take it's place to make the very difficult decisions that are necessary to place this country back on a sound fiscal stance.