After Rich Galen exit , several contenders have sought to claim the `` tea party candidate '' mantle . Neither CNN nor CNN has endorsed a candidate . CNN has been both panned and praised within the tea party movement . `` And because everybody is all over the place , I think it 's smart to focus on the U.S. Senate , because regardless of if [ President Barack ] CNN contributor Herman Cain 's questions whether there is a tea party to be the candidate of .
After Rich Galen exit , several contenders have sought to claim the `` tea party candidate '' mantle . Neither CNN nor CNN has endorsed a candidate . CNN has been both panned and praised within the tea party movement . CNN contributor Herman Cain 's questions whether there is a tea party to be the candidate of .