More on the backstory:

SC GOP nixes idea of Tea Party Republican group

The South Carolina GOP is ditching the idea of forming a Tea Party Republican group while leaders say they are finding ways to make the party appeal more to the activists.

Last month, there were rumblings that the Greenville Republican Party’s leadership wanted to create a formal group rattled Tea Party activists. But a couple of weekends of meetings ended with the GOP backing down and state Republican Party Chairwoman Karen Floyd holding a news conferences announcing an accord of sorts. […]

Well, that should give us a clue about who will be wearing the pants in this particular union…

More:

“When this whole controversy got started, we felt under threat that our movement — our values — were trying to be consumed by a political party,” said Harry Kibler, a Tea Party leader who helped broker the compromise. “We don’t like that. We came together very quickly to protect that.” […]

Revanchists always feel under threat. Fear is their reason for being.

For instance, Bill Rhodes of Greer formed a Tea Party group that has 550 Greenville County members. His goal is to organize enough activists at the precinct level that they control the county party — one of the state’s largest.

“That’s the game plan,” Rhodes said. “We’re going to conservatize the Republican Party,” Rhodes said.

Hey, where’s Cato when you need him … “conservatize” … indeed.

While Republican consultant Chip Felkel of Greenville admires the movement, he says it’s a mistake for GOP leadership to give Tea Party activists this much credibility.

[…]

The Tea Party’s destination is unknown and that’s the real danger, Felkel said. “I don’t think that train’s headed in a direction that has the long-term interest of the Republican Party at heart.”

No kidding Chip, but are they listening to you?