ABC News' Guidebook to Tea Party Candidates

By MAYA SRIKRISHNAN, JOSH GOLDSTEIN and JARED PLINER

Sept. 27, 2010

The Tea Party movement has shaken up the political landscape in 2010, taking down incumbents in Utah and Alaska and defeating the Republican-establishment favorites in Nevada and Delaware during the primary campaign. Now its favored candidates with their fiscally conservative ideals are poised to be a formidable force in the November general elections.

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ABC News has compiled a comprehensive guidebook to all the Tea Party-backed U.S. Senate, House and gubernatorial candidates and where they stand on key issues. All the candidates are running on the Republican ticket, unless otherwise noted.

U.S. Senate Candidates

Sharron Angle, Nevada

Small business manager/substitute teacher, former state assemblywoman

Opponent: Sen. Harry Reid (D - incumbent)

Endorsed by Sarah Palin

Angle supports gun rights, expanded veterans' benefits, tighter border security, cuts to government spending and making the Bush-era tax cuts permanent. She opposes the new health care law and abortion. She has said she wants to shut down the Department of Education to help balance the budget and make education a local responsibility.

WATCH Angle on "Top Line."

Ken Buck, Colorado

District Attorney, Weld County, Colorado

Opponent: Sen. Michael Bennet (D - incumbent)

Buck opposes the Recovery Act, tax increases, "big government," a path to legal residency for illegal immigrants, and abortion. He supports a strong national defense, gun rights and expanded veterans benefits.

WATCH Buck on "Top Line."

Jim DeMint, South Carolina

U.S. Senator from South Carolina

Opponent: Alvin Greene, unemployed military veteran (D)

Endorsed by Sarah Palin

Leader in Tea Party movement who has endorsed conservative Republican candidates in races nationwide

DeMint supports expanded veterans' benefits, returning education policymaking to state and local levels, and reductions in taxation and government spending. He opposes abortion and a path to legal residency for illegal immigrants.

WATCH DeMint's interview with ABC's Jonathan Karl.

Ron Johnson, Wisconsin

CEO of PACUR, LLC

Opponent: Sen. Russ Feingold (D - incumbent)

Johnson supports cutting taxes and government spending, elimination of the estate tax, cracking down on illegal immigration through employer sanctions and tighter border security, repealing the health care law, and expanded veterans' benefits. He opposes abortion and a path to legal residency for illegal immigrants. He has called Social Security a "Ponzi scheme."

WATCH Johnson announce his candidacy.

Mike Lee, Utah

Lawyer for Howrey LLP

Opponent: Sam Granato, businessman (D)

Lee supports balancing the federal budget by cutting spending, repealing the health care reform law, a flat tax rate, congressional term limits and gun rights. He opposes guest-worker programs and a path to legal residency for illegal immigrants and is against legalized abortion.

WATCH Lee's Tax Day speech.

Joe Miller, Alaska

Lawyer

Opponent: Scott McAdams, mayor of Sitka, Alaska (D); Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R - write-in, incumbent)

Endorsed by Sarah Palin

Miller supports limited government spending and a repeal of the new health care law. He opposes abortion and environmental "cap and trade" proposals. Miller has said the Social Security program violates the "mandates of the Constitution."

WATCH Miller on "Top Line."