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MANKATO The leader of the tea party movement in south-central Minnesotawould like to see a little tolerance and patience from the political left toward their still-new president.

"We're in a divided country, but I'm hopeful," said Mankato attorney Andrew Johnson. "And I hope people give Trump a chance to demonstrate what he's capable of."

Johnson, who was heavily involved in the formation of the tea party movement locally and statewide, sees Donald Trump's victory as a culmination of that movement. While the organization hasn't been as active in recent years, the tea party's philosophy was still alive in the minds of supporters.

"The tea party mentality helped elect Trump as president," said Johnson, adding that the New York real estate developer deserves high marks for his efforts since Nov. 8. "I am impressed with his diligence prior to being sworn in and up to now. ... I suspect with his energy level, he's going to do a lot of things."

The rise of grass-roots organizing in opposition to Trump has been compared to the emergence of the tea party in the weeks after the federal government takeover by the Democrats in the 2008 election. Johnson, though, thinks opposition to Trump has been more radical and less tolerant than the tea party movement.

"The reactionary attitude, to me, is beyond the constitutional parameters of free speech," he said. "... I don't recall seeing any tea party mentality or reaction as offensive as I've seen reported now where they don't tolerate opposing viewpoints."

Attempting to maintain a focus on core principles is a challenge for any grass-roots movement, and it was sometimes difficult for the tea party. For Johnson, those principles could be boiled down to limited government, fiscal responsibility and support of free enterprise, but the movement also attracted social conservatives focused on opposition to abortion or gay marriage.

"I would listen to them and acknowledge them no matter what the viewpoint," he said. But then the former Blue Earth County commissioner would attempt to steer the message back to the group's basic beliefs.

Maintaining enthusiasm also was a challenge, something he blames partly on the tea party's portrayal by the media. After an energetic first couple of years, the local tea party's public activities were mainly centered around meetings featuring conservative speakers.

Johnson doesn't appear worried that the Indivisible movement or other left-leaning groups will grow to the size and strength of the tea party during its zenith in 2009 and 2010. Average Americans were attracted to the tea party, and Johnson thinks most will be repelled by the Trump opposition groups.

"I don't think the left is making a decent impression on the American public," he said.

These days Johnson's duties as a tea party leader are minimal. He participates in occasional webinars and periodically passes along an item of interest through the group's local email list.

"So we're still sort of active, but on a more subtle basis," he said. "But I don't think the tea party is gone. As demonstrated by our last election, a tea party mentality is still around."

And if the progressive version of the tea party becomes more publicly energetic in opposing Trump's agenda, Johnson said he might be inclined to try to call the former troops back to duty.

Originally posted here:
Tea party leader hopes Trump opponents will give president a chance - Mankato Free Press