The rise of the conservative "Tea Party" movement will put pressure on the U.S. Congress to cut federal spending and the budget deficit if Republicans make strong gains in the Nov. 2 congressional elections, Reuters quoted a senior Republican as saying on Friday. "It's going to create an environment where -- if we (Republicans) are given the opportunity to lead the Congress -- we are going to have the ability to make the hard choices -- to restore fiscal discipline, to pursue policies that will grow our economy," said Mike Pence, head of the Republican Conference in the House of Representatives. "So I see it (the Tea Party) as nothing but positive," Pence, the House's No. 3 Republican, told Reuters. The Tea Party is a loose-knit group of mostly Republicans that has attracted voters critical of President Barack Obama and upset at government spending, taxes and deficits. The enthusiasm of the Tea Party, which has fanned voter anger about the weak economy, is expected to help Republicans in the elections as they aim to win back control of the House and the Senate from Obama's Democrats. "The people in the Tea Party and those at town hall meetings are going to make it very, very difficult for anyone to think it's going to be business as usual in Washington, D.C., next year -- regardless who is in charge," said Pence, a conservative Republican. The Tea Party has hurt the Republican establishment by defeating in primary elections some incumbent legislators and candidates whom it sees as not conservative enough on fiscal issues. The losers have included Republican establishment politicians in Nevada, Colorado, Kentucky, Connecticut and Delaware. Pence made his comments at the opening day of a meeting sponsored by a number of socially conservative groups, including FRCAction, the legislative arm of the Family Research Council. As of Friday, organizers said they had about 2,000 people attending. Speakers on Friday included Pence, other Republican lawmakers and a number of potential 2012 presidential candidates, including former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney.
