TIFTON — Members of the Tiftarea Tea Party Patriots organized in April 2009 primarily to educate themselves and to take a more active role in electing government representatives. Now they've heard from several local, state and national candidates and conducted a straw poll within the group on those candidates.

The group meets at 7 p.m. each Monday at the Holiday Inn. The meeting place will change to the Hilton Garden Inn on Aug. 2. Membership is voluntary and is $25 for individuals and $40 for families. Since the group was organized, members have participated in a Freedom Celebration at the Georgia Agrirama, sponsored gubernatorial and legislative debates and let their disappointment with government be known in protests around tax days.

"I think we've done well," said member Darrell Osborne. "We are still together and meeting every week. We've stayed true to the original intent, which is to the Constitution."

Osborne said that faith is also vital to the organization and meetings begin and end with prayer.

"We make no apologies for what we believe in," Osborne said. "We maintain the Christian faith in our organization and go after conservatives as well as liberals because some conservatives won't take a stand."

The group invited approximately 50 candidates who are running in the fall elections to speak to the group. So far, 21 of those candidates have appeared before the group with four more scheduled. The candidates were given time to present their goals and then they were questioned to determine their beliefs, honesty and abilities to perform the office being sought.

Only one Democrat, gubernatorial candidate Carl Camon, who has accepted the group's invitation to speak.

"He's the only one who would speak face to face," said Tea Party member Jeff Korson. "It appears they (Democrats) are intimidated. If you are going to be a politician, you need to be able to debate the issues. If you can't, how are you going to stand on your own."

"We are open and cordial," Osborne said. "We have no problems with opposition to our views, we just want people to come out with what they are for and speak. To Carl's credit, he did not back up."

The Tiftarea Tea Party Patriots conducted two straw polls, one on June 21 and another on June 28. The results show a mix of strong support for certain candidates and votes of no confidence in any of the candidates in certain races. "No confidence" races included the race for the U.S. Senate seat currently held by Johnny Isakson and the lieutenant governor's race. Races in which no candidate appeared before the group received "No Vote" results. Those races included the race for Commissioner of Agriculture (Republican candidate Darwin Carter was scheduled to speak this week) and the race for a seat on the Public Service Commission.

In the race for U.S. Representative, District 2, Republican Mike Keown received 65 percent of the vote, Republican Lee Ferrell received 5 percent of the vote and 30 percent of those participating in the straw poll were undecided. In the U.S. Representative, District 8 race, Republican Ken DeLoach garnished 67.5 percent of the vote with Austin Scott receiving 15 percent of the vote. Of the members who voted in the race, 17.5 percent were undecided.

For governor, 47.5 percent of the group voted for Republican Ray McBerry; 30 percent of the group voted for Republican Jeff Chapman; and 22.5 percent of the group was undecided. In the race for Secretary of State, the vote was split equally with 50 percent of the votes going to Republican candidate Doug MacGinnitie and 50 percent of the voters undecided. For Attorney General, Republican candidate Max Wood received 87.5 percent of the vote with the rest of the voters undecided.

In the race for State School Superintendent, Republican candidate Richard Woods received 82.5 percent of the vote with 17.5 percent undecided. In the race for Commissioner of Insurance, Republican Gerry Purcell received 87.5 of the votes with 12.5 percent of the voters undecided.

In the race for State Representative, District 153, Republican Tony McBrayer received 95 percent of the votes with 5 percent of the voters undecided. In the race for State Representative, District 176, Republican Aleta Larger received 82.5 percent of the votes with 17.5 percent undecided. In the race for Tift County Board of Education, District 4, Republican incumbent Rita Griffin received 28 percent to Republican challenger Steve Cadwell's 23 percent of the vote. Voters in this race indicated that 49 percent were undecided.

Tea Party Patriots members Korson, Osborne and Jerry Camp expressed their concerns with the issues of immigration, the economy and their belief that the country's elected officials aren't recognizing the U.S. Constitution.

Korson said that U.S. citizens should be aware that those who are going to "get thrown out of office" will try to pass legislation and make decisions during their last few months in office that could be harmful to the country.

Osborne said the Tea Party Patriots don't "rubber stamp anybody" because of their party affiliation."For the last 20 years, every Democrat and Republican candidate has run on issues of strong immigration control," Camp said. "None of them have done anything and we are upset about it."

"We've got to build a fence," Osborne said. "We're not opposed to immigration, we just want them to come through the proper way and be legal and pay taxes."

"We have got to secure our borders," Korson added.

Osborne also said that he disagrees with candidates and those already in office who say that taxing Americans can pay down the debt.

"Show me a business that is creating new jobs now," Osborne said. "We don't know when this storm is going to end and we've become a nation of dependents. Hopefully in November we can make a change in Washington across the nation."

"We want to be a conduit for the public to let them know what is going on," Osborne said. "The invitation is open to anybody regardless of their political persuasion. We won't browbeat anybody."

"We are willing to debate any issue," Camp said.

For more information:

www.tiftareapatriots. com.