Some say Jon Scott Ashjian , a new Tea Party candidate running for Senate , is a fake . GOP front - runner Carol Lowden says she 's never seen him at Tea Party events . A spokesman for Tea Party Express , a national Tea Party group that is encouraging efforts to defeat Reid at the ballot box in November , says it does not view Ashjian as a serious candidate . Another GOP source alleges Harry Reid 's campaign planted Ashjian to siphon GOP votes . Ashjian seems to find the accusation amusing ; Reid dismisses the claim .
Some say Jon Scott Ashjian , a new Tea Party candidate running for Senate , is a fake . GOP front - runner Carol Lowden says she 's never seen him at Tea Party events . Another GOP source alleges Harry Reid 's campaign planted Ashjian to siphon GOP votes . Ashjian seems to find the accusation amusing ; Reid dismisses the claim .