Politics | Tea Party Tea Party Caucuses Get Quiet House, Senate groups haven't met in months By Matt Cantor Posted Oct 24, 2011 4:55 PM CDT Copied Sen. Jim DeMint, R-S.C., at podium, accompanied by Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., left, addresses a Tea Party rally earlier this year. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci) In January, the Senate Tea Party Caucus was in full swing, holding a meeting on Capitol Hill—but neither that group nor its House counterpart have done much of anything since. Though a leader of the Senate caucus points out that “it’s only been nine months,” the group’s members seem to be learning that running a caucus can be a time drain that offers few results, Politico reports. Enthusiasm for a Tea Party caucus appears to have waned, but “any caucus is tough,” says Illinois Sen. Mark Kirk. Meanwhile, the 60-member Tea Party Caucus in the House hasn’t met since June. That’s because Michele Bachmann’s in charge, “and she’s almost 100% campaigning for president right now,” says her friend Rep. Steve King. Meanwhile, some Tea Party freshmen have discovered that their voices are loud enough without a special caucus behind them: “We don’t need a name of a Tea Party Caucus necessarily,” says Sen. Jim DeMint. Read These Next Negative press coverage should get TV licenses yanked, Trump says. Here's what late-night hosts had to say about Jimmy Kimmel. Autopsy is in for Black student found hanged from tree at college. 'Jesus, Take the Wheel' writer dies in tragic crash at age 57. Report an error