The grassroots political movement known as the Tea Party is doing a great job of reminding both parties what a large segment of the American people want and what they deserve under the US Constitution. But are they ready to govern and will the attempt by some of them to become a legitimate political party do more harm than good? That question may be answered this year in Nevada as the Tea Party of Nevada has qualified as a third party there and will have a candidate in the Senate race against Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nevada). (source)

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The party needs to get 1 percent of the electorate to vote for its candidate, reported to be Jon Ashjian, in November to permanently qualify as a third party in the state and given the growth of interest and participating in Tea Party events, that seems to be a very reasonable goal. In fact, it may be too easy a hurdle in these times when so many Americans are feeling disillusioned, disenfranchised and just plain angry at both Democrats and Republicans.

But a significant showing for Mr. Ashjian in the fall might be enough to split the Republican vote and breathe new life into the all but certain political demise of the hugely unpopular Senator Reid.

The freshly minted party's constitution reads in part, "We the members of the Tea Party of Nevada, establish ourselves to promote this nation's founding principles of freedom, liberty and a small representative government. We believe that our government under both Democrat and Republican control has led to massive national debt, crushing deficits, increased taxes; while establishing a large and powerful federal government in a direct refutation of the founding ideals of America. We are concerned citizens who have had enough of government waste, corruption and intrusion into our daily lives." (source)

If the eventual Republican nominee in this race (current candidates are former State Senator Sue Lowden, former UNLV basketball star Danny Tarkanian and former State Assemblywoman Sharron Angle) doesn't heed the ever-increasing calls from those who strongly agree with those principles, conservative America may just snatch defeat from the jaws of victory in Nevada.