Newly-elected U.S. Rep. Adam Kinzinger's decision as reported in USAToday this week not to join Congresswoman Michelle Bachmann's (MN) Tea Party Caucus doesn't bother IL 11th CDd's local tea party activists at all. Tim Kraulidis, representing the Will County Tea Party Alliance, says it's how Kinzinger votes that counts:
He has promised to champion these principles. You can call them Tea Party, 912 or Conservative. He has been in office only a few weeks and has already voted to repeal Obamacare. This is a promise that he made to us. So far, so good. If he continues to stand on the principles that got him elected, it will be a good move. If he does not, then it will be a bad move. Caucus or no caucus.
And that settles that.