Bachmann Adds to S.C. Tea Party Support

Rep. Michele Bachmann has grown her South Carolina Tea Party Coalition to more than 50 members.

Bachmann, struggling to regain her strong place in the polls from the late summer, announced today 19 new members, including three regional chairmen.

Steve Rapchick from Mount Pleasant will serve as the Lowcountry chairman, former Perry supporter Preston Baines from Columbia will serve as the Midlands chairman, and Jonathon Hill from Anderson will serve as the Upstate chairman.

They join state chairmen Kelly Payne and Javan Browder .

“I once was a strong Perry supporter. Now, as we move closer to the election, I see that Michele Bachmann’s consistent conservative record is what our country needs. We don’t need more Washington-insiders or pretend conservatives like Newt Gingrich,” said Baines of Columbia in a release.

“We want a leader who has not flip-flopped on the most important issues facing our nation. South Carolinians are not swayed by the political winds and we demand a leader who has been a consistent constitutional conservative. Michele Bachmann is that leader,” Steve Rapchick, Leader of the Mount Pleasant 912 Project said in the release.

The effort comes on the heels of a new NBC-Marist poll that shows former House Speaker Newt Gingrich supported by 51 percent of those who identify themselves with the Tea Party. Former Gov. Mitt Romney took 20 percent of the Tea Party support. Bachmann and Perry both received 7 percent.

With fewer than 40 days before the election, it's possible the only way to change the two-person race would be erode Gingrich support among Tea Partiers and either Bachmann or Perry to collect support from Gingrich, former Cain supporters, former Gov. Jon Huntsman, for Sen. Rick Santorum and each other.

The 19 new members of Bachmann’s S.C. Tea Party Coalition:

    Steve Rapchick, Mount Pleasant
    Preston Baines, Columbia
    Jonathon Hill, Anderson
    Jeff Diemier, Mount Pleasant
    Robert Fry, James Island
    Lynda Fry, James Island
    Jim Hargett, Greenville
    Rick Moesser, Fountain Inn
    Scott Napier, Greer
    Virginia Jelley, Taylors
    Harold Blitch, Charleston
    Gerald Addison, Berkeley
    Linda Addison, Berkeley
    Raye Chapman, Daniel Island
    Tom Russo, Jr., Bluffton
    Bob Mcewen, Savannah (former Cain supporter)
    Austin Jones, Greenville (former Cain supporter)
    Shelia Morgan, Hilton Head
    Tom Morgan, Hilton Head